Public Relations
by snshyne
Summary: Bella Swan, the President of Black-Swan, Inc, WANTS Edward Cullen Owner and Creative Director of ECSquared. What is she going to do about it? A fun fic mini-series. M, AH, OOC, E/B, canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

This was inspired by a late night conversation with jael728.

_**jael728:** there should be a ff where Edward is inexperienced and Bella has lots of sex._

_**snshyne:** so write it._

_**jael728:** I was hoping you would._

**cclore - thank you for your beta love**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations**

**Chapter 1: Pitch & Prowl**

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**~Edward Cullen~**

I stood outside of the conference room, waiting to be called in for my meeting. I've been here for close to an hour, which is my own fault for being compulsive about being on time, which means being ridiculously early for everything. My palms were sweaty as I paced in front of the double mahogany doors. I caught a glimpse of myself in the glass window across the way and saw my hair was in even more disarray than usual from running my hands through it. I was nervous.

"Mr. Cullen, they'll see you now," a tall, leggy blonde called from the now open doors that housed my fate. At least for today. I gathered up my effects and took a deep breath as I crossed the threshold.

"Edward! So nice to see you again," Mr. Black stated as he walked over to me and grasped my hand in his. I had to resist the urge to wipe my palm against my pants and pull out my hand wipes when he let go. His hand was hot and sweaty. Gross.

"You as well," I replied back with a weak smile. Mr. Jacob Black was the CEO of Black-Swan, Inc., a public relations and marketing firm for pretty much all kinds of products. However, they specialized in start-up companies, getting them up and running and making them successful.

"Let me make some introductions and then we'll get started." He went around the large table in the center of the room introducing me to various people in attendance. I only committed a few names to memory, such as Alice Brandon-Whitlock, the owner of _Pure Green_. A new clothing company that focused on creating environmentally conscious, fashion-forward attire. And Peter Smith, CFO of Black-Swan, as he would be responsible for overseeing the budget of my proposal.

Mr. Black ran through the rest of the people seated at the table and I hardly paid attention until the tone in his voice changed. "Finally, this is Bella Swan, President of Black-Swan and my partner in this business." I could hear the lilting smile in his voice, which brought me back to attention. I followed his gaze to the shockingly beautiful, brunette seated at the head of the table. We made eye contact and she smiled. "Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Cullen." I smiled back as my nerves started to get the best of me and I realized I wasn't breathing.

Her deep chocolate eyes held a sense of soft superiority, her plump lips, shining with a light pink gloss, were pulled into a soft smile, the pale hue of her skin practically sparkled in the light shining through the window behind her. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and I could see the length of her creamy neck, leading down into the curve of her sweater. I was so lost looking at her, that I didn't even notice that Mr. Black was still talking to me.

"So, Edward, show us what you've got for us." I started to fumble in my bag as I looked for the disc that contained my entire presentation for the public relations and marketing campaign for _Pure Green_. Upon discovering it, I brought it to the tech in the corner with shaky hands and he laughed slightly at my nervousness, causing me to scowl at him. He took it from me and placed it in the drive while people in the room engaged in small talk amongst themselves. I kept stealing glances at Miss Swan and a few times I noticed her eyeing me too, which only served to make me more nervous.

We watched the presentation in which my voice ran over the information like a recording, causing me to cringe at the sound. I pushed my glasses up on my nose and I listened as my words went over the plan to pick a specific niche market at first and then branch out. The niche market should be women in their late teens to early thirties as this tended to be the demographic most interested in the "green" phenomenon. In addition, they also have the most disposable income and the two aspects combined would help to create a large target for _Pure Green_, which inevitably meant profit. Another facet of the project was the "minimalist style," which was very popular with younger crowds these days in the 'Age of Apple.' I proposed using the minimalist style for the attractive visual it created by putting the main focus directly on the product. Also, the minimalist approach went along with reducing the abuse on our environment. Thus, creating a double edged sword of a pleasing visual aesthetic and a poignant message.

Throughout the presentation, there were samples of the line already created being displayed in marketing examples such as a girl in a simple non-bleached, linen dress strolling through a park with her dog in a similar piece of clothing. I remembered when Emmett and I got this pairing in the box of samples; how we laughed because of women always dressing their dogs. It's exactly what my sister-in-law Rosalie would have done. Thus, proving my point of the niche market. Another example was a woman laying out on the deck of a sailboat with the deep ocean as the backdrop to the crisp white of the sails as the wind tossed her hair. This was one of my favorites, as I loved to sail and I thoroughly enjoyed the shoot we created for this particular scene.

The presentation itself was about thirty minutes long. Well, thirty-two minutes and fifty-six seconds. Once it was over the lights came back on and the majority of the people in the room applauded. Mr. Black gave me a thumbs up sign, Mr. Smith nodded in approval, and Alice Brandon-Whitlock clapped in her seat before running over and giving me a surprisingly strong hug for someone that just barely reached past my waist. I looked over to Miss Swan and she was simply sitting in her seat, elbows resting on the arm rests as her chair turned slightly from side to side. I tried to get a read on her face, but she was hiding it well. I was nervous. Did she not like it? For some reason, I wanted her approval more than anyone in the room.

The applause died down and I shifted on my feet, hands stuffed in my pockets, waiting. It felt like forever before anyone spoke and I thought I was going to be sick.

"It's nice, but it needs some work. Come by my office by six thirty so we can discuss some changes," her voice rang through the room. It sounded almost cold, but as she walked from the room I noticed a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips.  
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Nice? Fucking nice? That's it? That presentation was flawless. A masterpiece of fucking perfection._ I would be lying if I said I wasn't the slighted bit pissed at her dismissal.

"Don't worry about her," Mr. Black said, "she's just a perfectionist. I thought it was flawless."

Yeah, that's because it was. I just rolled my eyes and gathered my stuff, leaving the building for a late lunch with Emmett to talk about the presentation. A regular wrap-up that we usually do after each pitch.

***~PR~***

"Work? She said it needs work?" my brother and business partner, Emmett, asked incredulously as he was cutting his still walking piece of steak that sat in front of him.

"Yeah. I believe her exact words were, 'It's nice, but it needs some work. Come by my office by six thirty so we can discuss some changes.'"

"That was some of your best work," he said, stuffing his mouth with beef.

"Some of _our_ best work," I reminded him. Emmett typically handled the photography for these kinds of projects so the pleasing visuals were both of our ideas, but he knew how to make them come to life.

"Well, what are you gonna do?"

"Em, really? Close your damn mouth when you chew." I sighed, running my hands through my hair for the umpteenth time today. "I don't know. I guess go and see what she wants. It's not like we need this account, but after the work we put in, I don't want to lose it."

"Are you sure you don't want to cave for another reason?" he asked with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

I rolled my eyes at him, he should know better.

"What? She's not up to your standards or something?"

"No. She's definitely beautiful. Breathtaking. But..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But all work and no play makes Edward a dull boy," he sang out, off key.

I just shook my head at him and dug into my own steak. All my life, I've wanted to be my own man. I've always had my head in a book or my hands on a project and I never really had much time for girls. I was a late bloomer I guess. My first kiss was at seventeen playing spin the bottle at one of Emmett's stupid parties. He told me that it was like Sadie Hawkin's spin the bottle, where the girl got to choose what happened. It never occurred to me that girls my age would be into kissing; I certainly was not. So I was taken back when Charlotte Mink attacked me, causing me to fall to the floor as she pried my mouth open with her lips.

I lost my virginity at twenty-one to my one and only girlfriend, Angela, who I thought was just as inexperienced as me, but I was wrong. She tried all of these things, like trying to get me to tie her up and she wanted me to stick a plug in uhm...well...the out hole, but I couldn't do it. Christ, up until that point I had only kissed less than a handful of girls. She took my virginity on my birthday and then dumped me the next day. She said she wanted someone with more experience and that she could add "cherry-popping" as a notch on her bedpost. I cringed at the memory. So here I was at twenty-seven and I might as well have been a virgin.

"Come on, bro. What do you have to lose? I don't want to see you shrivel up and die and never have had a taste of some good pussy. Or had your dick sucked so well you'd beg the girl to stop because the pleasure was just oh-so-fucking-good."

"Emmett, people are staring."

"So, let them stare; maybe it will embarrass your ass enough to do something about it. You are far too pretty to not be getting fucked regularly. What's holding you back anyways?"

"It was just never something I was all that interested in. I was always about learning shit and perfecting my skills. My future, becoming my own man, and then EC2."

"Well, you have all that now. You're one of the best and youngest in the game. So relish in that shit and live your fucking life like a healthy twenty-something already. I say you stroll into _Miss Swan's_ office and show her exactly what needs _work,_" he said with an evil smirk.

I just laughed at him. Yeah, like that's gonna happen.

***~PR~***

I spent the few hours between lunch with Emmett and my impromptu meeting with Miss Swan going over the finer points of my presentation. I tried desperately to find any flaws in the product to see if I could at least try and approach it from her disgruntled point of view, but I could not. Perfectionist my ass! I'm a perfectionist and this shit was perfect. There was a reason companies all over the world hired EC2 to handle marketing, promotions and public relations. We're very hands on and Emmett's jovial approach to life along with my perfectionistic tendencies and our combined business savvy made us one of a kind. I knew it, and Miss Swan will know it before this meeting was over.

I sat out in reception, again an hour before I needed to be there, and waited for her to be available. I watched as various employees started to file out from offices and cubicles to leave for the day. The girl at the desk, Gianna I thought she said her name was, said that Mr. Black was already gone for the day, so I would just be meeting with Miss Swan. Immediately my breathing was labored and I felt my palms start to sweat. Just me...and...her?

I could do this, I could keep it together.

So what if she's a stark-raving mad lady who thought my presentation was anything but perfect? Who cared if her glossy lips made me want to kiss them? Who cared that her back and forth persona between steely to friendly and back to steely again piqued my curiosity. And I wasn't even going to mention those red pumps I caught a glimpse of when she stormed out of the conference room. _Ungh_...

"Mr. Cullen," the girl at the desk called, "Miss Swan will see you now."

I swallowed thickly. Here we go.

***~PR~***

**~Bella Swan~**

I had done absolutely nothing for the past four hours. What a fucking mess. My mind has been a wreck ever since that presentation this morning. Truthfully, I had been looking forward to it. Edward Cullen's reputation precedes him. His work with Diet Coke and Papermate Pens was legendary. Plus, EC2 just landed a chance to pitch for Apple on the campaign to market their yet to be announced Apple tablet. I had been itching to get my hands on a campaign that would be suitable to work with EC2. I've watched their portfolio closely for nearly two years as they went from a small startup to a force to be reckoned with. I knew I would need a project that would require a more personal approach, which meant a new business, a smaller business and not one of the mega-giants we have seen, who were just shopping for a new commercial.

So when my best friend, Alice, told me she was finally ready to move forward and take _Pure Green_ to the next level, I couldn't resist the opportunity. _Pure Green_ was perfect for EC2! It was a small business that would need a campaign built from the ground up. It was a personal pet project for Alice and thus she would want to be personally involved. It would give us so many opportunities to work as a team with EC2. And maybe individually.

I wasn't available when Jacob lettered EC2 to let them know we were interested in using their services. I had been away on family business, though I wished I could have canceled. My assistant, Gianna, told me that Edward Cullen came to the office himself to accept our offer and Jacob had taken him to lunch. I so badly wanted to meet the brain behind this phenomenal operation and was thoroughly pissed I missed it.

As a young professional myself, I appreciated the ability of EC2 to build itself from the ground up. When Jacob's father passed and left me the position of President of Black-Swan in his will, I nearly died. Instead, I spent three weeks on a drunken bender trying to understand what the fuck was going on in my life. I was far too young to hold such a position. It was hard for me; many people looked down at me for my youth. Assuming I knew nothing about business even with a Master's in Business from Northwestern, ranked third in the country. And despite the fact that I've had my hands and feet in the business of Black-Swan since I was a child as my parents were also key stakeholders in the company before their early deaths. I had to and still have to overcome so many preconceived notions and pushed very hard to be the best at my job to constantly prove everyone wrong. It was fucking exhausting.

My job and the endless pursuit of proving people wrong left me no time for relationships. My last serious one was in grad school and that ended miserably. So now, it's just down to random hook-ups and occasional serial dates that amount to nothing. It was better than nothing I suppose. If I wasn't getting laid, I'd be more of a raving bitch than some people seemed to think I was. But that's because they never bothered to get to know me. The real me. Only Bella Swan, President of Black-Swan, Inc.

This morning when Edward Cullen walked into the conference room, I was mesmerized by his unassuming stature. Such a pretty man and there was nothing about him that said he knew this. I could tell by his posture he was all about business and I could tell by his work that he held a passion for it. I caught myself staring at him as Jake made introductions. Watching as he took everyone in, glossing over the unimportant and committing the important to memory. I knew this technique; I do it all the time. I noted his chiseled jaw and slightly crooked nose that I bet was injured by someone throwing a ball at him when he was reading a book and it had hit his nose and never landed in his hands. His hair glistened in the sun from the window and I felt my fingers itch with the need to touch it. Finally, Jacob introduced us and he smiled at me. Immediately, my panties were wet. Three minutes, he was there three minutes and I was ready to throw everything I had at him. I was such a slut.

I watched the presentation by EC2 in a complete state of awe. His golden voice rang in the room like a perfect carol of bells; the soft care they took with Alice's product to showcase the important details. At one point, he looked nervously at the floor and then back to the screen, pushing his glasses up on his nose. Fuck, those glasses were so hot. I wanted to see them resting on my bedside table when I woke up in the morning. I listened as his voice went over demographic details and how they would affect _Pure Green_ and my panties got wetter; I love geek talk. At one point during the preview, Alice leaned over and whispered to me that Edward was hot. As if I didn't already notice this fact. Then she giggled and went back to her seat.

When the presentation was over, everyone was so excited. Applause erupted, thumbs up and hugs were given and I was caught in a daze because I didn't know what to do. If I gave my approval, he would be whisked off with Peter to talk numbers and then with Alice at some point to talk specific things she had in mind. I would get intermittent contact with him, but I wanted more. I couldn't be sure if it was because it had been so long since I had a good lay or if it was because of him, but it didn't really matter did it?

So, I did the only thing I could think of, I told him that his presentation needed work. I lied. And it was a big whopper of a shit-faced lie too. Much like the creator; this presentation was flawless. Utter perfection if I do say so myself. Part of me felt guilty for lying, but the other part felt like a school girl playing to win.

I ran back to my office and resisted the urge to masturbate to my memory of him. What if he chose to ignore my demand and decided the account wasn't worth it? How would I lure him here again? I couldn't be sure I would get what I wanted from him anyway, but I was going to try. A man who paid that much attention to detail in work, must surely pay that much attention to detail in other things.

I watched the clock, staring at it, willing it to say six-thirty. I waited and I waited. I straightened the files on my desk about six times. I watered my own plants, nearly flooding one of them. I got back to all those messages and emails that I have been putting off in need of something to do. I played around on twitter, shooting the shit with all of the random people I have come to know there. I re-organized the photo albums on my facebook page. Again. The time crept by slowly, making my choice to not masturbate seem like a dumb idea.

Finally, at six-twenty I went to my en suite and freshened up. Seeing myself in the mirror, my hair was now in disarray, falling loosely from the bun. I decided to forgo the pretentious hairstyle and just let it fall around my shoulders. Feeling hot, I took off my cardigan that I had been wearing all day in an effort to cool down. I checked my appearance one last time and buzzed Giana to let her know I was ready for Edward.

I sat down at my desk, attempting to look busy, chewing on the pen in my hand, when I heard him enter. I looked up at him just in time to see his eyes widen and then narrow while he fidgeted with the strap on his bag.

"Take a seat, Mr. Cullen," I said, gesturing towards the table on my left.

"Please, call me Edward, Miss Swan."

"Only if you call me Bella," I said softly. A small smile graced his lips as he ducked his head bashfully and made his way to the table.

He strolled to the table and held a seat out for me to take before gingerly sitting down in one parallel. _Not close enough_.

"So...uhm. You had some points you wanted to discuss?" he breathed out shakily. Was he nervous? How cute.

"Yes. Do you have the dick...I mean disc with you?" His eyes widened at my slip before he averted his gaze. Moving to his bag to grab the disc. I took it from him and went to the wall to slide the disc into the wall-mounted drive so it would play on larger screen and on the smaller ones nestled into the table. On my way back, I brushed against his arm with my hip, which caused him to jump a little and me to smile at his reaction. I sat down and crossed my legs as we waited for the presentation to start. I noticed Edward looking down at my legs that were purposefully held out to the side in his view and I resisted the urge to smile.

When his voice came over the speakers, I bit my tongue in hopes to thwart the surmounting wetness pooling behind the thin barrier of my panties. He looked at me periodically throughout the viewing and I so badly wanted to know what he was thinking. I remembered I was supposed to be showing him points of interest and we were halfway through and I had not picked one.

I picked up the remote and paused the disc. "See this here?" I asked, pointing at nothing in particular. Edward looked at me with a quirked eyebrow. "Uh, no."

"This?" I said, standing up and leaning over the monitor in front of his seat. I leaned in dangerously close. So close I could smell his aftershave and that sweet manly-musk that I wanted to taste. My hair brushed against his crotch and he stiffened in his seat before he squeaked out, "I'm sorry. I just don't see what you're showing me."

I sighed out loud, realizing that if I wanted this, I was going to have to be less subtle. It wasn't a problem really, I could be more direct. I just didn't want him to think I was some slut-bag who did things like this on a regular basis. For some reason, his view of me mattered.

I took his hand in mine and leaned forward close to the monitor, now able to see my reflection, and brought his hand with me.

"This," I said one more time. Except this time, I brought his hand to my mouth and sucked on his index finger. Showing him what I was talking about.

"Oh," was his response as I continued to glide his long, elegant finger in and out of my mouth and imagining it elsewhere.

I pushed his chair back, leaving room between him and the table and watched as his hand dropped to his side. My eyes trailed down his body from his sex hair, to his shocked expression, down his chiseled chest, evident from the shape in his perfectly crisp oxford, then down to his crotch where a large bulge was very happy to see me.

"Miss Swan."

"Bella," I corrected him.

"Bella. Uhm. What are you? What?" Poor boy was in so much shock he could barely speak. "I thought you wanted to show me points of interest that needed work."

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Here, here, here, and here," I said, pointing first to my lips, then cupping my breasts, then dropping my hand slowly down my stomach to my waiting pussy and then finally resting the toe of my red, patent leather Louboutins in between his legs and tapping lightly on his cock. Eliciting a soft moan from Edward.

"Oh, shit," he muttered as he gripped the arms of the chair. I smiled. He was just so fuckable and so damn cute. So fucking sexy with that innocent stance. I could eat him up.

"Tell me, Edward, have you ever fucked in an office before?"

He shook his head lazily.

"Would you like to?"

He nodded his head vehemently.

I moved forward and straddled his lap, pressing my legs on his sides, causing them to rest between his thighs and the arms of the chair. I was sitting up straight and he was leaning backwards, so I grabbed his tie and pulled him to me. So close I could taste his minty breath. His eyes were wide, searching as if he was trying to make sense of what was going on. Before I could chicken out, I pressed my lips to his. So soft, so warm. He wrapped his arms around my waist hesitantly and I sighed at the closeness and when he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, I nearly moaned as his warm tongue mingled with mine.

Without thinking, I ground my hips, causing my pussy to grind against his designer clad cock and his breath hitched, which made me giggle a little. I ran my hands through his hair as I kissed him and gyrated against him, relishing in the softness in hands and the hardness against my wet core. Such a contrast in sensations and it felt fucking good.

Still kissing him, I took his hand from around my waist and slid it in between my legs, pressing it against my panties.

"Holy shit," he whispered out as I moaned at the contact. I was fucking soaked and I knew it and it was all his fault. It's about time he knew it too.

"You did that to me. I've been wet all fucking day because of you." Edward's eyes widened, before a sly smirk spread across his face and he kissed me this time, soft and sensual.

"Can I?" he asked against my lips while wiggling his fingers outside my panties

"Mmhm," I said back, incapable of actual speech as the anticipation of his fingers inside of me was too exciting. He pushed the thin barrier aside and rubbed against my clit making me hiss at the contact. His soft fingers, dancing in my wetness, felt so damn good. Then his mouth latched onto my braless nipple through the thin fabric of my dress and I moaned out loud. I wasn't sure I wanted him to stop. Then, as I continued to gyrate against his hand, he slipped one finger and then another into my pussy and I jerked slightly, which made him chuckle. I looked down at his face and I could tell this wasn't something he was used to, which meant he had natural talent because he was fucking fantastic.

Not wanting him to feel left out, I reluctantly removed a hand from his hair and found the buckle of his belt, leaning back slightly to get it undone. This caused his fingers to go slightly deeper at a different angle and I gasped. _So good_. Feeling the bulge outside his pants, I couldn't wait to get him out to see what he was working with. Hastily, I popped the button and rolled the zipper of his perfectly tailored grey trousers. He was wearing a deep blue pair of boxer briefs with a grey band and as much as I loved a man in boxer-briefs, they were in my way. I snaked my hand through the slit in the front and Edward jerked as my hand made contact with the smooth skin there.

"Bella," he said in a pleading tone as if he didn't want me to.

"It's okay," I said, wanting to ease his fears as I kissed his mouth as a sign of acceptance.

I wrapped my hand around the shaft and I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't find the entire way around. I was even more surprised when I pulled him out of his underwear and saw both the length and girth first hand.

"Wow," was all I could say and barely above a whisper. I looked at Edward and he was actually blushing. I had to smile at how cute that was. He looked so nervous and I had no idea why. I leaned in to kiss him with more passion as the lust I felt nearly tripled after the sight of his beautiful cock, which will forever be ingrained in my brain. While kissing him, I stroked him and delighted in the soft moans that came from his throat on each upward stroke as my palm circled the tip. Without missing a beat, Edward continued to fuck me with with his elegant fingers and I could feel the orgasm mounting in the depths of my soul.

But I didn't want it this way. I wanted him to fuck me.

Reluctantly, I removed myself from his hand and sighed at the loss of contact. His eyes shot open as he felt me moving away from him.

"What? Are you...what did I do?"

I had to laugh at his urgent pleas because it was just so cute. The bashful look in his eyes only served to make me want him more.

I sauntered over to my desk and stepped out of my underwear, waving them around my finger as I beckoned for him to come closer. He stood up hesitantly, cock still out and waving at me. I think I may have drooled. He stopped just a few feet in front of me and I pulled on his tie, loosening it up and bringing him closer.

"Have you ever taken a girl over a desk before?"

He shook his head no.

"Do you want to?"

He nodded a vibrant yes. I could see the want in his eyes that accompanied the bashfulness.

I reached into my purse that was sitting on my desk and pulled out a condom. Tearing off the bright purple wrapper, I pushed myself to the top of my desk and perched on the edge. I stuck my legs out and wrapped them around Edward's waist, pulling him closer. Once he was within arms reach, I tilted my head up, letting him know I wanted to kiss and he obliged. As we kissed, I took the condom in my hands and sheathed his erection with it while he started to run his hands through my hair.

I spread my legs and leaned back, holding myself up on my elbows. He looked down at me for a moment, contemplating what to do. I gave him a little nudge with my heel and he moved forward. I watched him as he lined up against my entrance. I could feel his hand shaking against my thigh and I pushed back wondering why he was so nervous. I just assumed it was because we were about to have sex and he was commissioned on one of our projects.

I was about to open my mouth and say something. Probably something really fucking stupid, but was cut off when I felt the pressure of him entering me. I had to fight back from crying out as my pussy stretched to accommodate him. It felt so fucking good.

"A-are you okay?" he asked with a tight jaw. I nodded, unable to say much else.

Slowly at first, he started to thrust his hips and I let my head fall back with a sigh. I could feel the tension in his thighs when they met mine, like he was restraining something. I have never felt so full in my life. I could probably just come alone from him resting there if I flexed. That would be fucking epic.

"Faster, please" I whispered out. His speed increased and he groaned at the increased friction. I let my head fall back on the desk with a thud and he stopped to check on me. Making sure I didn't hurt myself. I told him not to stop and he resumed. It felt so good, but I wanted him deeper. I wanted to feel him to the very core of my being.

Almost as if he could read my mind, he picked up my legs and hoisted them over his shoulders. I looked up at that point and I could see my favorite red, patent leather Louboutins next to his gorgeous sex hair in contrast to his beautiful green eyes, which were now more noticeable because he had removed his glasses. I marveled at the sight, smiling when Edward and I made eye contact. The gleam in his eyes was unmistakable, like it was a new experience for him. But there was no way this beautiful man, with talented fingers, sex kisses, and a gorgeous dick, was a virgin.

Then, in one thrust, he was deeper than I ever could have imagined and I cried out. Telling him how fucking good it felt and that I didn't want to stop. My cries were met with grunts and snarls coming from Edward, which only served to incite my lust even more. I felt my orgasm building in my belly and I wanted it to wait. I wasn't ready. I wanted more of him. But I couldn't hold on any longer and I cried out his name as the gentle bliss washed over me, causing my entire body to shake in release. I was panting as my orgasm ran its course and moments later, Edward let out a deep growl as he found his own release, muttering, "holy fucking shit, shit, shit."

He fell forward onto my chest and I ran my hands through his hair. I started to sit up and he tried to back away from me, but I held him there with my legs. I couldn't let him go.

"I..uhm.."

"That was fucking amazing."

"Really?" he asked, looking confused.

"Yes. You don't think so?"

"Well. I mean. I don't have a lot to compare it to."

"Huh? So you're a..."

"No. I've had sex, just not a lot."

"So is that why you were so bashful all this time?"

He nodded, "Yes. And you're so beautiful and sexy and smart. It's intimidating. And I thought you were going to rip into me about some seams or something in some of the photos."

I laughed and tried to cover my mouth at the sound, "Baby, much like yourself, that presentation was flawless. I just needed an excuse to get you alone with me."

"Really? I'm so green though. You know, inexperienced at this sort of thing."

"It's okay, green is my favorite color." And he kissed me hard and with so much passion. I felt him get hard against my thigh and I didn't know about him, but I think we're ready for round two.

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**Wanna see Agressivella's shiny, red Louboutin's? And Shyward's sexy as hell glasses? There is a pic of their outfits on my blog (http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com)**

**This will be a mini-series. I predict between 5 and 10 chapters. Alert it (or me as an author) for updates.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**Thank you for embarking on this ride with me. Please make sure all hands, legs and personal belongings are inside the cart at all times.**

**My beta babies, cclore and PhoenixMP3 - I LOVE YOU!**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations**

**Chapter 2: The Contract**

**Edward Cullen POV**

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I stood there, cock out and growing and gaped at Bella Swan, President of Black-Swan, Inc.

_Fucking amazing?_

For me, definitely. But I couldn't possibly see how it could be for her. I mean, I had no idea what I was doing. Of course I knew the basic mechanics of it. I took sex-ed - my only B grade ever by the way. But I knew as well as anyone that it's a far cry from knowing and doing. The latter being something I had very little knowledge of.

She liked me. Well, she liked what we did. I liked it too. A lot.

Doubt and insecurity started to plague me. What could I possibly be thinking? She would kind of technically be my boss if we took this account. Then there's the whole thing about my inexperience. Sure, she had fun this time, but how could a woman like Bella ever really have any interest in me? I just wasn't...capable. There were many things I did well; sex and relationships were not on that list.

My phone rang and I grabbed it out of my pants pocket. It was my assistant, Bree. She fussed at me through the phone, letting me know that I was going to be late for a client dinner and that I needed to wrap up whatever I was doing and get over to Le Cirque. I thought I heard an insinuating tone in her voice, but decided it was my imagination. There was no way she could know what I just did.

How could I have forgotten about the dinner? I wasn't a forgetful person. My brain was able to keep everything tidy and organized almost to a fault. I only recently got an assistant at the demands of Emmett. He has one and insisted I get one too. I was perfectly content running my own errands and keeping my own life in order. But he was hard-pressed to give up, saying that heads of important companies didn't make their own dinner reservations. So, I gave in. It took me nine tries and finally on the tenth one, we found a match. I assured Bree that I was on my way as I started to gather my stuff, pants still undone.

"Everything okay?" Bella asked as she hopped down from her desk.

"Er, no. I'm late for something. I have to go." I looked back at her and she was standing there, nipples hard and completely beautiful and my palms started to sweat. What should I say now? What should I do? Emmett would know. But I couldn't exactly call my brother right now and ask him what I should do since I just had sex with the president of Black-Swan, Inc on her desk and now I had to leave. That was poor taste. Besides, he'd laugh for like ten minutes and make me even more late.

She smiled at me and walked closer. "I think you're forgetting something."

"Huh?" I kind of grunt-mumbled with a quirked brow as I turned to face her square on.

She reached forward towards my waist. Her tiny hands grabbed my cock and I groaned out loud at the sensation. Bella looked up at me under her lashes as she slid it back into my boxer-briefs and then zipped and fastened my slacks.

"There. Now I think you're all set," she said in a soft voice as she ran a gentle finger down my arm before turning back to her desk.

"Edward," she called just as I was walking towards the door, "I'll have the final contract sent over tomorrow. Have a good night." If it wasn't for the huge smile on her face, I would think she was coldly dismissing me.

I arrived at Le Cirque with hardly any time to spare before the client arrived. Emmett gave me a knowing look as I entered and I couldn't help but smile sheepishly. He knew. He definitely knew.

The hostess showed us to our reserved table, winking at me as we sat down and it made me nervous. Emmett and I both ordered a drink because God knows I needed one. Emmett had yet to say anything and I was hoping he wouldn't.

No such luck.

"You definitely look like you've been thoroughly fucked. I guess the _particular_ Miss Swan had more _bones_ to pick than you realized." I just rolled my eyes at his gross and perverted choice of words. Before I could get a chance to say anything, he was standing up to greet the client the hostess was bringing over.

I joined him in greeting Sue and Harry Clearwater, who were the proprietors of Harry's Fish Fry, a seafood chain that was indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. They were trying to branch out nationally and needed some help. The dinner was one of those schmooze the client opportunities. In this case, it wasn't really necessary because we were offering them the best deal and Sue couldn't resist Emmett's dimples, but it was par for the course.

There wasn't really much to be done or to be said, so I found myself still stuck on thinking about Bella. She struck me as beautiful when I saw her in that conference room. And then after being alone with her...would she want to, like, _see me_? Could I gather the nerve to ask her out? What was I, in high school? This entire situation was utterly preposterous.

At some point during the meal I excused myself to use the restroom. I didn't usually like to use public restrooms, but I happened to know that the bathroom at Le Cirque was impeccable and thus more than safe.

I stood in front of the urinal and undid the zipper in my slacks. I was immediately assaulted with the scent of Bella. A scent that was previously lingering in my mind, but somehow had managed to still get on my skin, even though we used protection. I felt myself getting hard in my hand, which meant I wouldn't be able to pee and I really, really needed to pee. I forced myself to think of ridiculous things, like my mother baking cookies or the saturation levels required in a perfectly even black and white photo manipulation. Finally, it was thoughts of Emmett talking with a mouth full of food that stopped my growing hard on and allowed me to pee.

I was not about to masturbate in public just to be able to pee. _Disgusting_.

***~PR~***

The next day a courier came by the office and dropped off the final paperwork for EC2 to work with Black-Swan, Inc on behalf of Pure Green. When Bree came into my office with the package, she was talking on her headset with someone, which by the conversation sounded like her girlfriend. I was glad she wasn't really paying attention to me. Otherwise, she would have seen the large grin on my face.

When I pulled the contract out of the envelope, there was a small, pale pink envelope with a silver "B" in the upper left hand corner. Instinctively, I sniffed it and it smelled like her - soft and sensual. I fumbled with the envelope, trying to get it open and I ended up dropping the contract on the floor. Some of the pages fell out of the binding clip and flourished around me. I dropped down and picked them up to put the contract back together. I needed to look at it and so did Emmett before we sent it to Tyler, our attorney, for the final okay.

I stood up flustered and pushed my glasses back up on my nose from where they had fallen and gingerly picked up the pale pink envelope again. It was sealed pretty tight and I had to wonder if she used super glue. I grabbed the letter opener from the drawer, slid the envelope open at the crease and pulled out the letter.

I unfolded the letter with baited breath, unsure of what I would read, but hoped for something good.

_**Dear Edward, **_

_**I had fun last night. Reservations at Monza, 8pm.**_

_**xo**_  
_**B**_

I stared at the small slip of paper with the girly writing and read it over. And then read it again. I was sure by the time I finally placed it down on my desk, I had read it at least a dozen times. Okay, fifteen to be exact. She wanted to see me? She didn't really ask. It was kind of stated, so I assumed so. Why else would she be telling me about her schedule? Telling me about the place and time meant she wanted me to be there, right?

Emmett would know.

After I had read through the contract myself, thoroughly distracted, I headed over to Emmett's office.

"Is he in?" I asked Tanya, Emmett's assistant, as I approached her desk.

"Sure, Edward. For you, he's available," she said with a wink. Tanya was overly flirtatious and very annoying. I didn't know how Emmett put up with her. Her overly processed blonde hair was not appealing. I preferred brunettes anyway. That reminded me why I was here. Bella.

"What brings you by?" Emmett asked as I crossed the threshold into his office.

"Uhm...er..."

"You wanna tell me more about the office sexcapades with Bella Swan?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Shut up, Em!" I felt myself blushing. God, I hated that! It was like when I was thirteen and woke up to my first nocturnal emission and it freaked me out. Emmett wanted me to tell him all about it over my Lucky Charms. "I was bringing over the contract. It came this morning. I already read through it." I tried to divert his attention to business matters.

"Uh huh. Bree couldn't drop it off with Tanya?" He was giving me a curious glance. He knew me better than anybody and I knew he knew that I was definitely stalling right now.

I sat down in the leather seat in front of his desk as the contract landed with a thud. He picked it up and thumbed through it, noting the important points. Now it was a game of sit and wait. I would sit and he would wait for me to pop and spill the goods.

It didn't take long.

"She sent me this letter with the contract and I'm not sure what it means. Do I go? Or was it just informative?"

"What did it say?" I could tell he was biting back a laugh. I handed him the card and he read it over before a large ear-to-ear smile graced his face.

"Well?" My patience at his silly silence was wearing thin.

"Dude! This girl is a ball buster. Way to go!"

"You're such an ass."

"Listen, just go meet her for dinner. Roll with it. Have fun."

"So, she means for me to meet her there at 8 then?"

"Yes! See what you've missed with your head in the books and not in the nooks all these years?" Emmett's laughter was raucous as he cracked up at his own crude joke. I snatched the letter from his grasp and left his office, his laughter floating behind me.

I ended up working pretty late, finalizing a proposal design for Cool Cupcakes, a new confections bakery in the area. I didn't even realize how late it was until Bree knocked on my door to let me know she was leaving to meet her girlfriend, Heidi. I looked at the time and noted it was 7pm, which only gave me an hour to wind down what I was working on, freshen up and meet Bella. No longer focused on work, I started to get nervous.

In the bathroom, I splashed some water on my face and brushed my teeth. I attempted to tame my hair. Pointless. I dashed out to my Audi and hopped in, hoping to make it across town in time. My nerves were on fire, my hands shaking, my palms sweaty, my mouth dry. I had never been so nervous in all my life. Why was I doing this? Certainly she just wanted to see me to talk business. Right? _Then why not contact my office directly?_

I pulled up to Monza, grabbed my jacket from the back and handed my car over to valet. Entering the restaurant, I gave them my name and the hostess lead me to the table. Bella was already seated. She was on the phone, but got off quickly when she saw me approach.

She was just as beautiful as ever. Her hair was pulled back loosely from her face, but fell against her back in soft rings and I wanted to touch it and feel the softness. Her white shirt was crisp and formed nicely against her body. She stood up as I reached the table and I went to put my hand out to shake hers, but she reached up on her toes and planted a kiss on my cheek. I most certainly wasn't expecting that and I stood there for a moment completely stunned.

When I snapped out of it, Bella was half in her seat and I had to scurry over to to be sure to push her chair in.

Noting there was only one other chair at the table, I gingerly sat across from Bella. I picked up the maroon and gold menu and held it in front of my face, hoping to get my nerves under control.

When I placed the menu back down on the table, I looked over at Bella and she was staring at me. The same calculating stare I recognized from the pitch meeting and I wished I could read her mind. She sat back in her chair, posture relaxed and eyes watching my every move while she bit the inside of her cheek.

The waitress came over and took our dinner order and I also ordered a gin and tonic. There was no way I was going to make it the rest of this meal without a drink. Bella ordered a glass of Shiraz.

"I'm glad you decided to join me, Edward." I nodded with a small smile, my nerves still getting the best of me.

"Thanks for asking." My voice squeaked a little, which caused me to clear my throat.

"Don't be nervous. I won't bite. Unless you want me to." My eyes widened at her admission and she giggled softly.

The tension seemed to break slightly and we fell into an easy conversation, which lessened the tension even more as time wore on. She told me she came to be the President of Black-Swan, Inc when Billy Black died of a heart attack and left her the position in his will as his successor. Bella's parents had been principals in the company - father was CEO before Jacob Black took over after his death and mother was Chief Creative Office. It was always assumed that Bella would take on a role in the company in the future, but the untimely death of Billy Black pushed that forward.

I told her how EC2 started as an idea in college, during my Junior year marketing class and how I managed to rope Emmett into it. Well, it didn't take much. He was anxious to leave his brokerage firm, saying it drained all his creative energy and he was tired of working for other people. So, we went into business together and molded the company from the ground up.

By the time we finished, we were both leaning in closely to one another. Our fingers grazed each others on the table top and Bella managed to rub her foot up and down my left calf, each pass sending jolts of electricity to my groin. I wasn't sure if the alcohol had anything to do with it, but I was starting to feel very relaxed. Every time she laughed, I smiled and every time she licked her lips, my cock jumped in my pants.

Always having been more interested in my studies and work instead of tits and ass as Emmett would say, I'd never been an overly horny guy. And I have never physically reacted to a girl the way I had been reacting to Bella. It was strange and very exciting. Like when a new version of photoshop was released, but a million times better!

The waitress brought the check and I immediately went to pay.

"This was my suggestion so I should pay, Edward."

"A lady never pays on a date." I looked up at her over my glasses and she was wearing a big smile.

"Date, huh?"

"Well...er...uhm...yes?" She laughed at my tongue being tied. "I thought maybe with the card and getting to know you stuff and this," I said, gesturing between us to indicate the touchy-feely stuff.

"Shhh, Edward," she said as she reached for my hand, "I already told you, I don't bite unless you want me to." I swallowed thickly. This woman may be the death of me and I'd known her for thirty-six hours.

"So listen, I walked over here from the office," Bella started as we walked out of the restaurant. "It's pretty late and definitely dark. Do you think you could give me a ride back to the office so I can get my car?"

I nodded as the valet brought my car around to the front door. As if I would even consider letting her walk back at this hour. I helped her in, jogged around to the driver's side, and we headed off towards the offices of Black-Swan, Inc. Bella directed me towards executive parking, underneath a nice overhang adorned with antique black street lamps. I parked next to her Cadillac CTS, turned off the ignition and helped Bella out. Instinctively, I walked her to the driver's side as she unlocked the door with the button in her hand. As we approached the vehicle, she turned to face me and I felt my heartbeat start to pick up.

"You know what would make this night even better?" she asked and I shook my head. "If you kissed me." I stared at her for a second as she ran her hand across my stomach and I took a half step forward. My breath was shallow as I found myself hard pressed to ignore her request, even though I really wasn't sure what I was doing. She looked up at me and tilted her face, providing me easier access to her adorably, kissable lips.

I pressed my lips softly to hers and she hummed in response, the sound went straight to my crotch.

Her mouth opened and her tongue slid against my lips, requesting free access to my mouth and I gave it to her. My arms circled her waist and my hands rested on the small of her back, pressing her into me. I groaned when she thrusted her hips forward, pressing against the bulge in my trousers, which made her giggle against my lips. The kiss grew more heated with each lip pass and tongue graze. I realized I never wanted to stop kissing her.

Her hands came forward and settled between us as they ran the length of my torso; my skin twitched with every pass she made. They rested against the waist band of my pants and before I could register what she was doing, she started to undo my belt. I pulled away, panting for breath and looked at her quizzically.

"Let me make you feel good," she said with a shy smile. I wasn't sure what she meant. I was already feeling pretty damn good as it was. Good food, beautiful girl kissing me. What else was there? I assumed since I wasn't protesting, Bella felt free to continue. She opened the car door and sat down on the seat with her legs slung out to the side, pulling me to her by my pants.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Shhh. Let me show you." The tone in her voice was sultry and laden with want as she unzipped my pants and snaked my cock out of my boxers. A smile spread across her face as she looked up at me and kissed the tip. My body jerked.

She fisted my shaft and pumped a few times as her tongue flicked out against my skin and I had to resist the urge to thrust forward. This had only happened to me a few times and this was already infinitely better than every other time combined. All thoughts of oral sex out in the open failed to register at that point.

With no warning what so ever, Bella plunged my cock into her mouth and I let out a guttural moan at the sensation of her hot mouth wrapped around me. Un-fucking-real. It felt almost as good as being buried inside her just the day before. She used her hand in sync with her mouth and I thought I was going to lose it way before a respectable amount of time for any man. My hand rested in her hair and she moaned as I gave it a small tug, which felt amazing! I think Emmett would call that a hummer. Bella started to quicken her pace and I could no longer stop my hips from their involuntary thrusting. The tip of my cock came into contact with the back of her throat and I felt her muscles relax to allow me a deeper entrance. _Holy shit_.

I knew if she did that much more, I'd come undone. But dammit, I wanted her to do it again. And again and again.

She continued to use her hand in tandem with her mouth and I could feel my pending orgasm building. I looked down at her as she took my cock very deep into her mouth and she looked up at me through her lashes. The light from the overhead street lamp casted a luminescent glow on her beautiful face. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen I'm sure of it. On her next pass, her teeth grazed gently against my shaft and I bit my own lip to fight back the moan.

I couldn't hold it anymore. I managed to pant out that I was about to come, but Bella didn't move. She just kept her lips fastened and sucked harder as if she was waiting for it, wanting it. A feral growl burst forth from my chest as I came in several long spurts and Bella lapped up every last drop. I tried to keep my eyes open so I could keep them locked on hers, but the pleasure was so intense I was forced to close them and ride out the wave. A hand flew up and gripped the top of the door as my body was trembling at the force of my orgasm and the complete fascination with Bella's abilities. She kissed my cock a few more times, causing my body to shudder at the contact with the now overly sensitive skin, before standing up and tucking me back in my pants.

She smiled at me and pushed my glasses back up on my nose. I wasn't sure what to say. 'Thank you' seemed inappropriately callous.

"Uhm..." I still couldn't think of anything to say.

She moved closer and kissed me softly on the lips.

"C-c-can I see you again?" I asked, finally finding my voice.

"Mmhm," Bella hummed with a nod, "call me," she said as she slid into her car. I shut her door, she blew me a kiss and then drove away.

I guess this was what Emmett meant by getting your dick sucked so good you had to beg the girl to stop.

* * *

**A/N**

Thank you to AllynPerth/ChampagneAnyone for the restaurant name - Monza.

Outfits on the blog - http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com

A formal introduction to Public Relations can be found on the blog - it contains both Edward & Bella's cars and the story banner - http://www{dot}{/}2010{/}03{/}public-relations-formal-introduction{.}html

Check out my guest review of A Mzungu Oasis for Twilight Awards - http://thetwilightawards{dot}blogspot{dot}com/2010/03/fic-review-mzungu-oasis{dot}html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

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Thank you for embarking on this ride with me. Please make sure all hands, legs and personal belongings are inside the cart at all times.

A few of announcements at the bottom. Please read.

My beta babies, cclore and PhoenixMP3 - I LOVE YOU!

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 3: The Conference**  
**Bella Swan POV**

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Two weeks! Two weeks since Edward Cullen finally and unassumingly strolled into my board room and captured my attention. Two weeks since he fucked me so good on my desk. Two weeks since the parking lot blow job.

In those two weeks I hadn't seen anyone else. I ignored calls from Eric; I deleted emails from Stefan; I tossed the two sets of flowers Alec sent me along with a card to get together. I just wasn't interested.

They couldn't make me laugh like Edward did. They never made me feel as normal as he did. My power as an executive didn't threaten him or make him more pliable. So far as I could tell, he wasn't using me to further his career like others might and had. His career was already pretty stellar; he saw me as me. And they certainly had never made my body feel the way he did, just by thinking about him.

Two weeks where I have come to know more about the man behind the glasses. We've had coffee twice and talked a lot since the parking lot bj, but not much more than that.

He's just adorable. In his subdued nature, he was quite proper and probably far more mature than most twenty-seven year olds. Ever the gentleman, he was always holding doors, pulling out my chair and standing whenever I left the table. He refused to let me pay for anything, even coffee and a sandwich. He listened intently to everything I said and I honestly thought he would put his jacket down over a puddle if we came across one. Even his text messages were formulated with proper grammar and punctuation.

It was just utterly fucking adorable.

I actually didn't get to see him as often as I probably liked; if I'd let myself admit how often that was. Heads of companies didn't really have hours to spend socializing for shits, giggles and stellar orgasms. But that didn't stop me from pouting when I got the phone call this morning that he had to cancel our plans.

He was so sweet. I could hear the nervousness in the vibrato of his voice. He made it a point to tell me that with his limited experience, he's never had to cancel on a girl before and he wasn't sure what the protocol was. I assured him that being informative was just fine and I wouldn't be expecting any grand gestures. He laughed nervously.

An hour later, I understood why when Gianna strolled into my office with a large bouquet of oriental lilies and pink roses.

The bouquet was gorgeous, but I figured it was from Alec because he was always sending me flowers. However, these weren't his typical, overly unoriginal red roses and that piqued my interest.

I picked up the card and smiled wide at the inscription.

**Dearest Bella, **

**I prefer your company over the traveling petri dish that is an airplane. Please forgive me.**

**Yours,**  
**Edward.**

I immediately went to grab my phone and called him, but I frowned when it went straight to voicemail. His flight must have already been in the air. So I left him a voicemail even though I hated receiving them personally. I was so caught up in the timber of his outgoing message that I almost missed the beep.

"Uhm...Hi. It's me. I mean, it's Bella. I can't say _me_ because of course _me_ could be anyone. Anyway, I got the flowers and they are so gorgeous. Thank you. They're perfect. I uhm...well..." _beep_.

Dammit! If that was not the most awkward voicemail I had ever left in all my life. I just heard his voice and got all kinds of twitterpated imagining him sitting across from me and telling me about his day or whispering sweet words in my ear. Like the last time we had coffee and he said the gold top I was wearing made my eyes all sparkly as he leaned down to place a greeting kiss on my cheek. And then my brain was goo.

This did not happen to Isabella Swan. I was always poised and polished and put together because I had to be. My semi-unconventional life demanded it.

And I couldn't stop what was happening to me. The effect he has had on me.

I sat in my office, ruminating about the fact that he wasn't here and he was wherever with whoever. Even though I knew it was business, I couldn't help but be a tad jealous.

What if he met some other high-powered female executive and she seduced him? At least he could say he had fucked a girl over a desk. I cringed at the harsh reality of my own thoughts. It was totally possible. There were more and more female executives these days and Edward was just beyond fuckable. I couldn't be the only woman who had noticed. In fact, I knew I wasn't.

Every time I was with him, some giggling slut was trying to throw herself at him and he just didn't even notice. It was like he walked around with blinders on or something. Did he not ever look in the mirror? How could he miss how gorgeous he was?

How could he miss the gleam in the eye of the cashier at the coffee shop or the extra long pause at the table by the overly obvious runner who brought us our pastries? Don't even get me started on the waitress at Monza. I was waiting for her to find her way into his lap.

The day passed and I didn't hear from him. I tried to tell myself that it was an urgent, last minute trip and I bet he landed and was whisked away to some genius think tank to fix whatever fucking problem the idiots couldn't fix themselves. And maybe he didn't get a chance to turn his phone on and it was okay that I didn't hear from him.

In reality, I didn't believe it, especially the bit about the phone. Edward was glued to that thing.

So I packed up my stuff and headed home for the night. I was disheartened. We had plans - normal plans. Dinner and a movie and I was so looking forward to it. Now...nothing.

Alice called and wanted to see if we could catch a movie or something, but I wasn't in the mood for a sappy love fest or a raunchy guy comedy, so I declined. I realized that I was going to do precisely that with Edward, but I suddenly wasn't in the mood.

"No date with the Unassuming Guy Hotness tonight?" Alice was a pain in the ass with acronyms. She started calling Edward "Unassuming Guy Hotness" when I had a hard time explaining the way my body sang as I laid across my desk with Edward buried inside me and could only growl out an "uggghhh," which she turned into "Unassuming Guy Hotness."

"No. He canceled. Had to go out of town on last minute business," my voice was flat as I pulled into the underground lot to my building, "and I haven't heard from him."

"What? He didn't even call to cancel?"

"He did. Better still, he sent the most gorgeous bouquet of oriental lilies and blush roses. And then I called to thank him and left this witless voicemail message. And I just...I'm...ugh!"

"Someone is all unglued. When was the last time you were unglued Bella?" Alice laughed into the phone.

"Never."

"Enjoy it."

"How can I enjoy it? He drives me insane on so many levels. Most of them good, but I just...I want...I have no idea what I want."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, sweetie. You always do. Listen, go call your guy. It's already late on the east coast and he can't still be working. I'm going to jump on mine. Call me tomorrow." She blew a kiss through the phone and we hung up just as I unlocked the door to my condo.  
_  
__Call your guy_. Was she crazy? He wasn't mine. _Was he?_

I sat down on the edge of my bed and stared at the landscape, black and white photo of Venice across the wall. A picture from the trip I took by myself after my less than amicable break up with Riley in grad school as a reminder that I didn't _need_ anyone else.

Even I knew that _need_ and _want_ were two different things, but my want for Edward was slowly verging on need and I was scared.

My phone rang next to me on the bed and I jumped at the sound piercing the silence as _Nothing Else Matters_ by Metallica rang out. I chose that ringtone for Edward when he told me it was his ultimate favorite song.

I took a deep breath and steadied my nerves before I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello...Bella?" His voice was a little pitchy and I immediately wondered if everything was okay.

"Hi."

"Hi," he replied with a sigh and I chuckled, wondering how long we would play the "hi" game. "I...uh. I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier. I didn't have a moment to myself until now. I'm glad you got the flowers. You really liked them?"

I felt myself breathe. _He was busy, Bella. Way to be dramatic!_

"Yes. Oh my god, I loved them! They were perfect. How did you know?"

"Well, I uhm, noticed some of the oriental art in your office and thought you might like the lilies. And then...uhm..." he dropped off.

"What?"

"Uhm... when I was in the florist, the blush roses just caught my eye. They er...reminded me of your skin that day. You know...when you...uhm. Your blush is so pretty when you orgasm," he whispered the last part and my heart skipped a beat while my panties felt instantly less dry.

"Bella? Hello? Did I say something inappropriate?" I realized I haven't said a word as I idly replayed our intimate encounters in my mind.

"No. No. I'm sorry. You're so sweet, Edward. The flowers are beautiful and I'm glad you think of me when I orgasm because I only think of you when I do."

"Wh-what?"

"I do. When I remember our times together, my skin blushes that same color. Or when it's just me and I'm thinking of you, I remember how you make me feel. How you feel inside me or how you taste in my mouth." I swore I heard him swallow thickly through the receiver.

"I think of you too?" It was more like a question and it was so cute.

"Really? Can you show me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you have your laptop with you?" I asked, my voice laden with a lusty coating.

"Uhm...yes. It's in the sitting room."

"Get it."

I waited on the line as he ran to get his laptop and I pulled mine from my bag. Then I decided to turn on my iMac instead and adjusted the angle. If I couldn't have him in person, I wanted to see him on as big a screen as possible.

I started to remove my shirt just as Edward's request to connect popped up on my screen. I clicked accept and waited just a second with baited breath for him to come on the screen.

"Hi," he said, his voice shaky but he was wearing a huge smile.

"Hey."

I noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses and the vibrant green of his eyes was startling without the frames. My eyes traveled away from his and I noticed his crisp button down was open and I could see his muscles through his tight t-shirt and he wasn't clean-shaven today. He must not have had time.

"You look...hi." He was nervous. Admittedly, I was too. I have never done this before. I'd had phone sex, but not iChat sex. I'd never been able to _see_ the person I couldn't touch.

"Can you undress for me?" I asked and he nodded.

I watched his shaky hands as he removed his shoes and socks and then his shirt. He dropped his pants and was standing in front of me in boxer-briefs and a t-shirt and I saw his hardness straining against the fabric. I may have been mistaken, but I thought there was a tinge of wetness where his tip would be.

"You too?" he asked timidly.

I smiled at him and continued to undress. I removed my shirt and slid my hands to my back to unzip my skirt, spinning so he saw what I was doing. My skirt fluttered to the ground and I heard him intake a sharp breath. I smiled to myself, enjoying the fact that I was not the only one affected.

I turned to face the screen again and he was standing in only his boxer-briefs. I thought I drooled, taking in the hard planes of his chest and gloriously pale complexion. His nipples sat like little rose buds against a stark canvas. _Perfect_.

I unhooked my bra and let it fall, then dropped my thong from my waist as well. Feeling vulnerable and open, I went to remove my shoes but he stopped me.

"Please, can those stay?" he asked sheepishly and I couldn't resist his request, so I kept them on. I thought someone might possibly have a shoe fetish. Hot!

I quirked a brow at him because all that was left were his boxer-briefs. I wasn't a patient girl. I'd seen his peen, I wanted to see it again. Now!

Catching my signal, he removed them and then fussed to try and figure out where to put his hands.

_Oh!_ It hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the first time I had seen him naked. I was almost pissed that I couldn't touch. I bet his corded muscles just rippled under his skin and I'd love to feel them jump at my touch and lick him for a taste of perfection.

Silently, I took a few steps back to my bed and Edward followed suit and rested against his. I propped myself against the headboard and stared at him.

"Well, Edward. Show me how you think about me when you touch yourself."

"It's...I've never been watched before."

"Okay. I'll start." He nodded in agreement. I figured if I started it, he should be able to pick it up. He was already saluting me, so it couldn't be that difficult.

My hands shook as I traveled them across my stomach and started for my breasts. My nipples, already taut from anticipation, ached for friction and I obliged. A soft moan escaped my lips as I pulled at the pebbled flesh.

I opened my eyes and looked at the screen to see Edward staring intently and absently stroking his hard length.

"Do you like that, Edward?" He nodded. "Do you know I'm imagining your hands on my skin?" I moaned again as my fingers grazed my nipples one more time. "What are you thinking about?"

"Your lips."

"What about them?"

"The way they felt on my .... that day. Very...soft and warm."

"Mmmhmm. Do you like when I suck your cock?" He nodded. "Tell me," I demanded as I started to skim my hands further down my stomach.

"I wish I were there now so..so...you could take my...er...cock in your mouth. I...it's..so good."

I parted my legs, allowing him to see everything I had to offer.

"Oh, god," he stuttered.

"Do you see how wet I am for you? What would you do to me if you were here?"

"God, you look so good. I'd want to bury my face in between your thighs and drink you up." His free hand flew to his mouth as he was obviously startled by his own admission. I chuckled softly at his reaction.

"I want that too. So much," I said breathily as my hands found my clit. I watched Edward as his strokes matched mine. Soft and deliberate to prolong this experience. I slipped one finger into my pussy, but decided it wasn't enough and I needed some help.

"Bella? Where did you go?" Edward called out as I left the frame of the screen.

"I'm right here. I just needed to get something," I said as I popped back into his eye sight. "You know what I'd like if you were here?" I asked. I took his silence as a no. "I'd want you to fuck me." He groaned at my declaration and I smiled to myself.

"I want to do that again too." The speed of his strokes increased. "I have dreams about it. I...see you like that day, moaning underneath me and it turns me on so fucking much. I..."

"Me too," I said as I slipped my favorite glass piece, Bubbles, across my slit, causing my back to arch. "I love the way you fill me to capacity. I'm so wet all the time thinking about you."

"Really?"

"Mmmhm."

"I don't think my cock has been soft since I met you," he panted, clearly lost in the sensations.

His strokes started to move faster as I slipped Bubbles deeper and increased my thrusts while pushing my hips forward and circling my clit with my other hand. This had been a regular pattern for me for the last two weeks as I attempted to simulate sex with Edward. So far, nothing had compared, but Bubbles was as close as it got.

I shifted slightly so I could get a consistent look at him because he was now kind of laying down and I saw the light sheen of sweat on his skin. I desperately wanted to lick it. How depraved.

We fell into a semi-silence with only the sounds of our respective activities striking the air and gazed longingly at one another.

Even masturbating, which could be such a guttural thing, he was magnificent. Sinewy muscles, rippling under taut skin as he stroked himself into oblivion. His hair swayed to the rhythm of his own self-love. The knuckles on his fist turned white at his strong upward stroke and the color returned on the softer down stroke. The talented jerk of his hips thrusting into his closed palm. _Gorgeous_.

"Oh, god. I'm..are you?" I panted as I felt my own orgasm fast approaching.

"Yes. Fuck," Edward growled.

"Oh shit, Edward," I cried as my orgasm took me on a ride of temporary satisfaction and my back arched off the bed. I opened my eyes just in time to hear Edward growl as he reached his own completion, his seed spilling out onto his hand and stomach. His body jerked with the release and then stilled as he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed several tissues to clean himself up. Then he tossed them in the nearby waste tote.

Timidly, his eyes looked up and connected with mine. I recognized the sense of happiness in them and I wished I was there to curl up on his chest and fall asleep or maybe try something new, but I wasn't. So what did one say now? What did one do?

"Have you ever done this before?" he asked shyly.

"No. You were my first." A large smile played on his lips then.

"I don't want to go."

"Then don't."

I excused myself for a moment to get a glass of water and then came back and slipped off my shoes as I rested against the headboard again. Edward was under the covers, but his chest was bare. I hoped the rest of him was too, but I couldn't be sure because it was covered by the blankets.

"So what was the last book you read?" Edward asked me as I settled my head onto my pillow. And with that, we settled into a somewhat normal conversation after a possibly not-so-normal evening in our strange relationship. If you could call it that.

***~PR~***

_"Bella, sweetheart? Bella?"_ I could hear Edward's voice, but it sounded so far away and I figured I was dreaming. _"Bella?"_

I let out a sigh as I rolled over, my legs tangled in the sheets, my head groggy. My hand bumped into Bubbles and the memories started flooding back. I laid there for a second, unmoving. Unbelieving.

_"Bella?"_ Edward's voice called again and my eyes drifted to the screen of my iMac. "Good morning, beautiful girl. I have to go, but I didn't want to leave without saying bye." His eyes darted around out of nervousness and he fidgeted with his tie. And the glasses were back. Jesus fuck, he looked so good.

I bet I looked awful.

"What time is it?" We must have fallen asleep talking to one another. I never turned the camera off. _Fuck!_ I hope I didn't say anything too embarrassing in my sleep.

"It's six a.m. there. I have to get to a meeting. Uhm...Can I call you later?"

"You better." He smiled softly before he started to close the screen. "Hey, Edward?"

"Yes," he said so timid and sweet.

"I had fun, but I can't wait for the real thing."

"Me neither," he smiled sheepishly.

Edward closed his computer and my screen faded to black. I rolled over onto my back and couldn't contain the large smile on my face. I kicked my feet in the air and giggled to myself at the overwhelming sense of giddiness flooding my system. I was willing to hold on and embrace what this all means.

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**A/N**

ShinyVolvoLurve - thank you for Metallica

Outfits, flowers, & a pic of Bubbles is on the blog (http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com)

1) A note of apology: a lot of you know I've been sick over the last couple of weeks. Like, ew, strapped to my bed, can't eat, can't sleep, can't work, lose 12 pounds in 5 days, my dog won't come near me, sick. So I chose every spare moment of energy I had to write this update and the last one for F&FS. So, I failed at review replies.

2) My main fic Fate & Forgotten Secrets made it to the FINAL Round of the TwiFic Indies. If you haven't already, please check it out. Also, don't forget to vote in the indies. **The voting center closes on 3/24**.

http://www{dot}theindietwificawards{dot}com/voteround2{dot}aspx

3) Lastly, I wrote a o/s for the **Black Balloon Contest** (http://www{dot}fanfiction{dot}net/u/2247006/Black_Balloon_Contest) - _**Bella Swan, This Is Your Life**_ (http://www{dot}fanfiction{dot}net/s/5828634/1/Bella_Swan_This_Is_Your_Life) stop by and check it out. This is an **angst** contest and this o/s is not happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**Love my to my beta babies cclore and PhoenixMP3 who are total win in my book!**

**A special thanks to the-glory-days, who will probably never read this, for schooling me on the DEFCON ways.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 4: Rescheduled**  
**Edward Cullen POV**

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I considered myself a professional. I held very high standards for myself in the way I conducted my business. However, I would admit that the small fit I threw this morning when Bree called and woke me up was anything but professional. Luckily, Bree was used to my occasional bout with insanity and she didn't hold it against me.

What's worse was that I should have seen it coming and planned accordingly. Summit Paper was notorious for not being able to handle their shit! Every time we created a product for them, I had to go out to Boston and fix it for some reason or another. Hopefully, this trip would be short.

In and of itself, it wasn't usually so bad. I loved Boston. I usually stayed in the Backbay Suite at The Lenox Hotel since Summit Paper was in Beacon Hill and it was a nice walk or short cab ride to where I needed to be. I'd have a few drinks at City Bar in the hotel or 21st Amendment with some Summit employees where they had dangerous drinks like "Prohibition Punch." Last summer when I had to fly out there last minute, they treated me to a Red Sox - Yankees game at Fenway Park in which the Yankees had their asses handed to them. Being from Chicago originally, I was a White Sox fan at heart, but I was also a fan of the Yankees getting their asses kicked regardless of who does it.

And I really enjoyed taking in the historical sites. I still visited the Boston Tea Party as a tribute to a fond childhood memory where we took a family trip and I got to drop the barrels of tea into the Atlantic. It was a thrilling experience at the time. At six, I didn't realize the tea was attached to a string and would be brought up for the next kid to dump it in.

That was before Bella.

Now, in the wake of whatever was going on between us, I didn't want to go to Boston. I was very much looking forward to taking her to dinner and a movie. I had been proud of myself for calling her, like she said I could, and asking her myself. I was edgy that day; I originally wanted to take her to see Phantom of the Opera playing downtown because she had mentioned it was one of her favorites in a casual conversation we had one night, but it wasn't going to work out with their show dates and our respective availability. I was both relieved and nervous about that. Emmett said it was probably for the best, as it would have been a formal date and not as relaxed as I probably needed it to be.

Given the sigh of relief I took when I found out the dates would not coincide, I had to admit he was right. Also, when I could hear her smile through the phone about my alternate plans, I knew that everything had worked out.

Sometimes, being busy really sucked. In the time we had between that night at Monza and today, I had only been able to see her twice and not for very long. Being able to see her for thirty minutes to grab coffee and a sandwich was highly irritating and not just because of the uhm...lack of physical activity. I _liked_ her. I liked talking to her. And even though it made me very nervous, I liked being around her.

It was a new experience for me.

I'd never had much time for girls, sex, and relationships. And admittedly, little interest as well. My focus on other things came in handy when girls, like Angela found out how shy I was or how inexperienced. It usually turned them off and that was fine by me; I didn't really want them anyway.

I really did catch a lot of flack for it, but I couldn't help it. I was just that way. Being abandoned by Angela probably helped drive me further into excelling at other areas of my life, but I'd always been more focused than most people so it wasn't that far of a leap.

Where was it written in stone that I had to be a selfish and horny prick, willing to screw anything? Emmett really didn't get it. No one ever had, but I thought Bella did. I hoped.

After I got off the phone with Bree, I called Emmett because I was freaking out about having to cancel on Bella so much and I needed a big brother pep talk. In my haste, I forgot that it was five a.m. So when he grunted a "what the fuck" into the phone upon answering, I was a little startled until I looked at the clock.

"I'm so sorry, Em. It's just...I have to go to Boston."

"I know, I talked to Tanya already. You aren't the first person to interrupt my beauty sleep this morning."

"Aren't you usually up by now?"

"Yeah, but Rosie got up in the middle of the night feeling a little frisky and well, I really just went to bed about an hour ago. She did this thing where her legs..."

"Stop!" I called out, rubbing the bridge of my nose. I had no idea how many times I'd had to stop him mid-degenerate sentence. Emmett laughed and I groaned into the phone.

"Why are you calling me anyway? Shouldn't you be packing?"

"Yeah. Uhm. I am. It's that...Bella and I had plans and I have to cancel and I feel bad. I mean, I should call her right? I have no idea what I'm doing."

"That's it? You're calling because you're stressing out over postponing plans with a girl? Fuck! The way you sound, I'd think it was like DEFCON One."

"Shut up, Emmett! You know this is like a foreign language to me."

"Which one? You speak seven."

"One that I don't speak. Uhm...Dutch."

"You're a damn mess. Listen, if you feel that horribly, get her some flowers to go along with your phone call."

"Flowers. I can do that. Uhm...there is a florist on the way to the airport. I can have the car service stop there."

"You know you can order flowers online right?"

"Yes. I am completely aware of what the Internet has to offer, but I'd much rather pick them out myself. That way I can be sure they are of the highest quality."

"You know if you order some and something is wrong, you get a perfect set for free?"

"That would be taking the chance of doing something twice. Why would I do that? It's so much simpler to do it myself and get it done right the first time."

"Fine, fine, you picky control freak. Do it your way." His tone told me he was just bating me into this ridiculous faux argument.

"You're an ass. I hope you know that."

"I do. But Rosalie loves it."

I got off the phone with my one-track mind, irritating brother after I told him Tanya would have the details of this mess with Summit from Bree and I'd talk to him later.

Stepping into the florists, I already had some kind of an idea as to what flowers I was going to have delivered to Bella. Typical flowers seemed ill-fitting for this atypical girl. I saw the Asian themed decorations in Bella's office and thought Oriental Lilies would be better suited.

As I strolled the aisles with buckets and shelves packed with neatly organized flowers, I saw a display of pink roses that I decided to add to the bouquet. The pink roses reminded me of her flushed skin when she had an orgasm that first day in her office. A sight that I couldn't get out of my mind. And I found myself utterly embarrassed as I made my way to the cashier. My errant thoughts produced a rather difficult situation in my slacks.

When it came to the card, I was at a loss. So I stood there for twenty minutes, the clock ticking away at my time to get to the airport to make my flight. I liked to travel, but I hated planes. They were a festering petri dish of germs and bacteria. And they were hardly cleaned in the manner in which they should be to be suitable for human travel. I was looking forward to next year when we planned to buy our own jet for the company. Maybe we could assemble a team of people who used to work at developing cleaning products for NASA or something to maintain it. That was an idea that I filed away to come back to later on.

Thinking about my dislike of planes made me realize how much more I wanted to be spending my time with Bella and not in one of those insufferable contraptions. So that's what I wrote in the card. It made sense to me and it was the most honest thing I could think of. I wasn't that guy with the million pick up lines in my lexicon to be able to pluck one up instantly to use as flattery. One of those awfully cheesy "fall from heaven," "running through my mind," "I lost my number, can I get yours?" lines. And something told me that Bella wouldn't like that anyway.

By the time I made it to Boston, it was mid-day and I was thrown into the middle of the problem. How people managed to fuck up a perfectly designed web portal was beyond me. I realized that they had some MIT graduates working in their IT department, but they really shouldn't mess with my design.

I specifically created this portal to Summit Paper's expectations, regardless of how some of them were completely asinine. I found a way to make the most ridiculous things more user friendly. A customer should need to make as few clicks on the site as possible to get to where they were trying to be.

Summit Paper was expanding into offering personal products and this was their new leg of the company - Peak Personals. So everything had to be re-created for this sector, as if it were a wholly separate entity. Furthermore, while they wanted Summit Paper and Peak Personals to be affiliated for namesake purposes, they wanted Peak Personals to be able to stand out on its own.

Also known as a headache.

And because someone let these _genius_ MIT grads tinker with my work, I had to fix it, as it was set to launch in the next few days. I would have loved to do it remotely, but given the extent of the damage, that wouldn't have been possible.

I spent the day fixing their problem, which literally took me all day. I was so furious that I demanded a meeting with the IT staff the next day, as well as the President of the company, before the launch reception at the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum to go over the mess they had created and how to avoid it in the future.

Namely, don't touch.

I hadn't managed to even turn my phone on, which was so unlike me. As I left the office, I turned it on and saw I had several voicemails. Three were from Bree, the last one saying she had emailed me about her messages as well so I didn't need to call her; she would have her blackberry and I could email her back.

One was from Emmett, who joked about saying Bella must have hated the flowers and I was sulking in a corner, which was why I wasn't answering. The message cut off to him laughing. My brother was such an ass.

There was one from my mother to let me know she and my father returned safely from their trip to Bermuda. She heard from Emmett that I had to fly to Boston and to call her tomorrow.

The last one I listened to was from Bella.

_"Uhm...hi. It's me. I mean, it's Bella. I can't say_ me _because of course_ me _could be anyone. Anyway, I got the flowers and they are so gorgeous. Thank you. They're perfect. I uhm...well..."_

I smiled as I listened to her message. Admittedly, I played it back again. Four times. She sounded genuinely happy about the flowers and I found myself picking up the pace to get to my suite and call her.

I had to say that the phone call was far more than I ever could have expected.

Wow!

It went without saying that I had never masturbated in front of a girl before. Or anyone for that matter. And no, that time Emmett burst into my room and caught me did not count.

It also went without saying that I'd never done anything remotely close to phone sex. I recalled Angela being home for Christmas break one year in college and her talking in this overly sultry voice. It was utterly ridiculous and I ended up laughing, more so out of nervousness. That didn't go over so well with her and that was the end of that.

Yet, there I was, cock out in front of Bella. Again. Except this time, there was an entire continent between us and not just a zipper or pretty blue panties. It was both nerve racking and exhilarating. Watching her play with herself was better than any of the porn I'd seen before. Even Emmett's dirty, dirty collection of videos.

When she told me she thought of me when she pleasured herself, I was dumbfounded. My mind actually went: _What? How? Who? Me? Why?_ And I still didn't get it.

Bella was beautiful, intelligent, fiery, witty, fun, the list goes on. I bet she could have her pick of any man in Washington. Hell, the world. So why she fantasized about me, I could not compute.

I was locked in a daze and all I really recalled was how I felt and how she looked. The best masturbatory orgasm ever, to the most glorious site of my life and I'd traveled a lot and seen many beautiful things. Nothing compared.

We talked afterwards and it wasn't nearly as awkward as I thought it might be and it had nothing to do with me. Bella was just easy in that way. She fell asleep and I watched her. Admittedly, I felt a tad perverted, but I couldn't turn away.

Her breathing was soft, hair strewn about, legs tangled in the sheets. Her sleep was peaceful for the most part. Only occasionally did she turn from her side to her back and then to her side again. At one point during the night, she flopped onto her back and the sheet slid down, exposing one of her perfect breasts to me as she sighed and softly spoke my name just above a whisper. So quiet, I wouldn't have heard it if I wasn't listening intently. I swallowed thickly and fought the primal urge to wrap my hand around my shaft again.

Watching her sleep was perverted enough. I was not going to become a sick, peeping Tom as well.

I tried to focus on other things, like what was around her. Her bedroom looked just as I imagined it. Softly decorated in hues of purples and whites with structured edges to her furniture. Just like Bella, soft and feminine with structured edges that she presented to the outside world.

Artsy black and white photos adorned her purple wall, which looked like it might have been covered in a felt-like fabric. Of course, it could have been one of those paints with the faux finish. Books littered her night table on the right side and I noticed that was also the side that she slept on. Adjacent to her bed with the pin cushion headboard was a rather elegant vanity. It looked like it might have been distressed or aged. Perhaps a family heirloom?

Before I realized it, I had to get up and get ready for that meeting to protect my work. I reluctantly woke her up to say goodbye, but hoped she would go back to sleep. I'd never personally had to say goodbye to a girl after a sexual encounter. However, between Angela's less than civilized departure from my life and my roommate freshman year at Dartmouth, who always bragged about bagging and tagging or some nonsense, I had always felt it was important to at least say goodbye properly.

On my way to Summit, I couldn't help but smile at the sight of Bella just waking up from a sound sleep. And I blushed at the wishful thought to one day see it in person.

***~PR~***

I skipped out of the Peak Personals launch reception after the opening toast to catch the last flight from Boston to Seattle. I made it by the skin of my teeth and the agent at the gate frowned at me as I briskly moved past him, but I made it and that's really all that mattered.

Before the flight took off I sent an email to Bree letting her know I would be in Monday. I also text my brother to see if he could pick me up because I didn't bother to call a car service and by the time I'd get there, it would be pretty late and I didn't want to wait around for one. He said he'd be there.

Lastly, just as the flight attendant called for us to turn off all electronic devices, I texted Bella. I wasn't sure if I should and after staring at my phone for minutes, I did it and then turned it off to put it out of my mind. It was a simple text, letting her know that I was actually coming back tonight. Just a piece of simple information.

Emmett met me at SeaTac and I slid into his passenger's seat exhausted. He was telling me about Tyler's approval of the documents with Pure Green, saying he talked to Swan-Black attorneys because there was a compliance clause that was worded a little strangely, but once they ironed it out, everything was okay. We were to commence work on Monday.

As he talked, I checked my phone. No new texts and only one voicemail from Emmett saying he'd meet me by the curb at arrivals, which was clearly irrelevant at this point. Nothing from Bella.

"Who stole your bike? Nothing from your girlfriend?"

"Huh? What?"

"Your fucking face is pitiful! You look like the kid on the block who got their bike stolen when they went to the corner store to get an ice cream."

"What the hell do you know about a corner store? We grew up in a private neighborhood."

"Cartoons, bro. All about the cartoons. So what's the deal? Did you have a booty call tonight and she bailed?"

"No. Nothing like that, Emmett. You're so crude! I just text Bella before I took off to say I was getting in tonight, but she hasn't text me back."

"Ah ha! So you wanted a booty call?"

"What? NO! Why would you even say that?"

"You text a girl to tell her you were coming in tonight, knowing full well your flight got in around midnight. You obviously were expecting to get some pussy tonight."

"Is Bella going to think that? Is that like a cardinal rule or something? Shit! That's definitely not why I was texting her. I just wanted her to know. Damn!" I huffed as I threw my head against the back of the seat. "Now she'll never talk to me again."

"Relax. It's not that serious. She's probably busy. You can't think she's going to drop her life because you texted her. You're too eager, man. Bone up."

"Yeah," I grumbled as we pulled up to my building and I dragged myself out of his Range Rover. I was so mad at myself for my lack of judgment on the matter of texting Bella. I should be strung up by my thumbs.

I dragged myself past Seth, the doorman, with a half nod and went up to my sky level condo, removing my shoes by the door, I then went and tossed my bag in the laundry room. Katrina would sort through the clothes on Monday and determine what went to the cleaners. I laid my laptop on the table by the door and strolled into the kitchen to grab something to drink when there was a knock at the door.

I figured Emmett was coming to razz me some more like the big ass he was. So imagine my surprise when I opened my door and saw Bella standing there.

"Hey," she said as she looked up at me through her lashes, "I'm glad you're back."

"Hi," I swallowed thickly. What else was I supposed to do? _I did have a strange urge to lick her all of the sudden. _

"Uhm, I brought you a steak and cheese sub and some beer. I thought you might be hungry and I know plane food isn't all that great. Even in first class."

I just stood there and gawked at her like an idiot until she asked if she could come in and I moved to the side to allow her to pass.

"How did you know where I live? Not that I mind. It's just, I mean. Uhm...how?"

"That's actually a funny story. See Gianna, my PA. You met her right? Tall, blond, pretty as hell, legs for days? Anyway, she uhm...sleeps with a guy in the building and she saw you running out yesterday morning. Then, Seth, the doorman is an old family friend from childhood so he told me where I could find you. And here I am."

"Oh...uhm..."

"Do you want me to go? Is this not okay? I'm sorry. I should go," Bella was talking in circles and I could barely get a grip on what was going on until I saw her move towards the door. I didn't want her to go.

"No! Wait! Don't go. I just...I wasn't expecting you and I was feeling horribly about that text because I didn't hear back from you and then Emmett said something about a booty call and I just..." I blew out an exasperated breath, frustrated at my rambling and inability to form a coherent sentence. Women like men who were commanding and dominant and I was anything but.

Bella laughed. "You are so fucking cute. Come here."

_Cute.  
_  
I took a step closer and then another and then another until we were standing toe to toe. Bella undid the belt on her coat and let it fall to the floor. I took one look at her and I was sure my eyes bugged out of my head.

"I was out with Alice. We went to Alibi Room. I came straight here figuring you'd be home by now."

She looked phenomenal. Very sex kitten-like. I reached out a hand to touch her, resting it against her bare left shoulder. She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned up to capture my mouth with hers. I wasted no time diving in with her. I'd had Bella on my mind for two weeks, but after last night, I couldn't think about anything else. And I was so anxious to touch her again.

I licked my tongue out against her mouth and she opened her lips and sucked it in to dance with hers. I groaned and she sighed as I timidly moved my hands from her hips to her backside and gently grabbed it as she pressed her hips forward, rubbing against my groin.

We started to move down the hall. I couldn't be sure who started to move first, her or me. Probably her. All I know was that the next thing I realized, we were standing in my bedroom and Bella's hands were in my slacks. My hips jerked when her hands came into contact with my erection and she pushed my slacks and boxers down as I fumbled with the top of her dress. She laughed a little as she took her hands off me so we could get the top of her dress to slide down and then promptly moved them right back.

She wasn't wearing a bra and I awkwardly fondled her breasts, watching as her nipples peaked and the surrounding area pebbled. Before I knew it, her breasts were gone from my hands and she pushed me back on the bed and straddled my thighs while she took my erection into both of her fists and pumped vigorously. My head fell back on the bed as I groaned in time with the sensation. I looked up at her and she was watching me intently with a sly grin.

Images of last night's iChat fun came back to mind. "Wi-will you...touch yourself," I asked in between strained breaths.

"I can't. Both hands are busy already," she said as she continued to pump her hands.

"Ungh..can I...will you let me...I want to taste you. Please?" It sounded less pathetic in my head.

She moved off of me and it was quiet for a moment. I heard a rustle and figured Bella was fixing her clothes. I fully expected her to bolt out of the door laughing. Instead, I felt the bed shift beside me and opened my eyes to see her looking down at me. Her hair created a curtain around us. She didn't look pissed. She was actually smiling. She leaned down and kissed me softly and I surprised myself by pulling her closer for a deeper kiss. I think I was just happy she wasn't running out in hysterics.

"I wanna try something, but don't move okay?" I just nodded as she pushed a pillow under my head and then moved out of my line of sight. My labored breathing only increased as the bottom half of Bella came into view.

She placed a leg on either side of my head, effectively straddling my face. The same beautiful musky aroma that lingered after that first time in her office wafted towards me and I quite possibly salivated, but I was so transfixed on the pink flesh in front of me that I couldn't be entirely sure.

"Have you ever done this before?" Bella asked as she lowered her body on mine.

I shook my head then realized she couldn't see me and spoke up. "No. Well, yeah. Not like this."

I tried oral on Angela once and she didn't like it. So I gave up after she laughed. I could hardly believe I was about to put myself in this situation again. _Traitorous cock_, I thought now that my brain had resumed some semblance of function.

"Okay then. Do what feels natural and I'll let you know if there is any direction I want. You can, too. It's okay to express preferences in bed." Her voice was soft and understanding. Nowhere near the harsh and berating tone I recalled from Angela.

With that she lowered her mouth onto me and a shuddered breath escaped my lips as the cold skin met her warm mouth. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her legs so my palms were resting against the backs of her thighs. I could already see how wet she was; the moisture glistened in the dim light shining through the window.

I flicked out my tongue and took one lazy lick from the tip of her swollen clit to the base of her slit. An "mmmm" burst forth as I tasted her for the first time. Bella's movements stiffened and I thought I did something wrong until she let out a soft "don't stop."

Encouraged by her request and the fact that she resumed her fine work on my painfully hard erection, I licked her again, applying more pressure with my tongue. Before long, I started to realize that when Bella would speed up on my cock, I would increase the speed of my tongue and when she slowed, I slowed. We were moving in sync with one another and I was getting to learn the responsiveness of her exquisite body.

In a brave move, probably drunk off of Bella's taste and her magic mouth, I slipped a finger into...her...uhm...flower. _Even I rolled my eyes at me_.

Her body jerked in response as she moaned to the added sensation. I had done this before a few times. The uhm...finger part I meant. So I felt a little more at ease having at least a small familiarity with what I was doing.

My hips started to thrust in the direction of her face and I couldn't help but hope I wouldn't hurt her because I couldn't really gain control of them. Her moans became louder and I heard myself start to grunt as the delicious friction between us blossomed.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. She was just too good and I was delirious.

Her hand reached down and she fondled my balls as she took me deep into her mouth and I felt my impending release just barely scratch the surface. As she retracted her mouth, her teeth grazed lightly against my shaft and my hip thrusts became erratic. She plunged my cock into her mouth one more time and I threw my head back as I growled through my release; the sound even startled me a little.

My hips stilled and Bella continued to kiss and nip at my sensitive skin as I resumed my oral work. If possible, I thought she was wetter than before. I pulled on her hips, bringing her closer as I plunged two fingers into her waiting slit and sucked on her swollen flesh. My own satisfying release made me that much more eager to give her hers. Suddenly, it felt like a competition. Not with Bella, but with myself and as with everything, I was determined to win.

Bella rested her head on my stomach, but continued to stroke me with her hand as she gyrated her hips against my face. Soft cries and whimpers escaped her now unoccupied mouth, which only served to spur me on.

"Ungh...teeth."

Teeth? She couldn't really want me to _bite_ her _there_!

"Teeth, Edward! Gently."

I didn't get it, but I did as she asked and lightly grazed my teeth along her sensitive nub, mimicking her earlier teeth action on me as I continued to thrust my fingers.

Soon after, I felt Bella's nails dig into my thighs as she cried out, "Shit! Edward!" and buried her face into my stomach. I felt more wetness seep out and coat my tongue. It was a mixture of sweet and tangy, like eating a cherry flavored sour patch kid.

Her body shuddered over me and then stilled. I extracted my fingers and she kind of half sighed, half moaned. We laid there for a moment, both of us getting a grip on our breathing. She slid off of me and turned around to face me. I barely had a chance to look at her before she was kissing me hard and passionately.

I remembered Emmett telling me a story about Rosalie kissing him after oral sex and how hot he found it. That was one of the only stories he actually managed to get through before I realized what he was talking about and shut him off. I could definitely see what he meant. I felt myself getting hard at the thought of Bella tasting herself on my lips.

We broke apart and Bella rested her head on my chest. I felt like I should say something.

"I didn't text you for this. I uhm...I like you. Like, _you_. Even without all the sex stuff." My voice faltered and wavered at my admission. I couldn't be sure what spurred it on and I wasn't sure how she would react. I was nervous.

I thought I heard somewhere that men were most honest after an orgasm.

"I know you didn't. I...I like you, too, Edward. And I really came to bring you some food, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for something to happen. I think Bubbles is tired."

"Bubbles?"

"Yeah. My friend from last night."

I had to think for a minute. Bubbles...friend...Bubbles...friend...oh! I chuckled at my own realization. "You named it 'Bubbles'?"

"Yes. It has tiny blue bubbles on it. It fits."

"Do you name all of your...er...things?"

"Mmhm. Maybe I can introduce you someday," Bella said through a yawn.

I swallowed thickly. _Bed things_. The last time a bed thing was brought into my 'sex life', Angela tried to get me to stick a plug into her out-hole. I hoped that wasn't what Bella had in mind.

* * *

**A/N**

I expect I'll have the Yankees to Red Sox pennant ratio rubbed in my face. I'm ready. To all my Yankees fans, I love you! It's all in good fun.

Outfits, Bella's room, Boston stuff on the blog (http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com)

Thanks for reading. Oh! I have a teaser for review replies. Xx


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

I want to take this opportunity to say that** I love EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY READERS. **Whether you read PR, or F&FS, or a o/s - I love you. Even if you read and never review, I love you. If you read and review every chapter or sporadic chapters, I love you. I love you and appreciate you for sharing these rides with me. It's important to me that you know this.

beta love to cclore and PhoenixMP3 for seeing me through this chapter. Frantic emails and all.

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 5: ERROR!**

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**~Bella Swan~**

I woke up startled to find that I wasn't in my own bed. My eyes darted around taking in my surroundings until they landed on Edward's sleeping form next to me.

I looked at him, gazed at him. Hair all over the place, arms spread out as he rested on his stomach, sculpted shoulders peaked at me from under the sliding sheet, perfectly pouty lips beckoned to me as he breathed soundly in his sleep. He shifted and I thought he was going to wake up. I felt my stomach clench at the possibility of him opening those beautiful green eyes and seeing me stare at him with such awe.

I was falling for him. Falling harder and faster than I ever have.

I wanted to touch his lips and without conscious thought, my hand moved towards his face. When it was almost touching his lips, I realized what I was about to do and pulled it back, covering my own mouth with it before I whimpered.

Then some kind of half-panicked, half-rational thought kicked in and I hurled myself out of his bed.

I had to go.

I had to get out of here.

I needed space.

I needed to breathe.

I needed to shake the cramped feeling in my chest and the crowding in my brain.

I hurried around to gather my things, tripping on the bedspread we must have tossed off in the night. I made every attempt to be quiet so as not to wake him up. My body wanted to crawl back into his bed and cuddle with him, then kiss him until he woke up, then fuck his brains out, and fall asleep in his arms again.

He sighed in his sleep and I almost caved at my own thoughts. I took a step towards his bed and froze. My mind was screaming at me to hurry the hell up and put my damn dress on.

I quietly, but quickly, moved through his condo and found my shoes, coat and bag and made my way to the exit. Just as the door closed behind me, I heard the most heart wrenching sound.

"Bella?"

It was Edward's voice, still thick with sleep and sounding totally bewildered.

I stood outside his door for a few seconds before my feet took flight and I was in the elevator and out of the building in a flash. Luckily, Seth didn't have the morning shift at the door. I didn't think I could deal with him.

I drove home, so glad I drove myself to Alibi Room and then to Edward's last night. As I undressed, I could still smell him on me, feel his lingering touch on my skin, remember the pressure of his tongue and the tango of his fingers. It was all too much and making it far too difficult for me to think straight.

I threw myself into the shower, then tossed on some leggings and my Northwestern hoodie and sat in my kitchen staring into space, twisting my phone in my hands, while the coffee brewed. On auto-pilot, I got my favorite mug and the mocha creamer out of the fridge and prepared my coffee. I needed to talk to Alice... no, I should apologize to Edward...no, I couldn't talk to anyone until I figured myself out. I sat down and stared some more. What I was staring at, I had no idea.

"I am so fucked," I finally said out loud to no one but myself.

_How could I do this? _

_What exactly did I do? Dinner and a couple of coffee dates?_

_How could I let it get this far?_

_How far is it anyway? A couple of sexually charged encounters, some amazing sex on my desk, mind boggling orgasms. I could feel myself heat up as images assaulted my mind..._

_Stop it!_

If I kept this inner argument up I'd become a schizophrenic.

My phone rang on the counter, interrupting my internal monologue as I jumped at the sound of Edward's ring tone. I leaped up and looked at the screen, but didn't answer.

I fingered the screen and traced the white letters of his name, wishing I had managed to finagle a picture of him to use for his caller ID. I then watched as his name disappeared from the screen and "five missed calls" took its place.

I checked the log, four were from him and one from Alice. He must have called when I was in the shower. I couldn't call either one of them back; I didn't know what to say. My phone chirped in my hand, letting me know I had a voicemail. Unable to resist and drawn to the sound of his voice, I listened.

_"Bella? It's Edward. Are you okay? I woke up and you were gone and now you aren't answering. Did I do something wrong?"_ Edward let out a heavy sigh_. "I'm sorry, Bella."_

The sound of his voice was...so...defeated. I wanted to cry.

Suddenly, my chest ached.

Did I do that to him?

_Yes. _

It was my fault he was sad.

_Yes._

Fuck! I didn't know how to do this. I didn't know how to reconcile who I was with what I wanted and our professional capacity together as well. I'd created a huge mess and I didn't know how to fix it.

I wished mom were here. She worked alongside dad; they were happy.

Edward started to officially work on Pure Green tomorrow and I couldn't go strutting around my office with my lips attached to his face. What would my employees think? And Jacob would just have an aneurysm!

Ugh! And once word got out, I'd lose a ton of credibility and Black-Swan, Inc.'s reputation would be tarnished. Not to mention what it would do to Edward's career. "Playboy Genius Bags Maneating Slut Contract." The sheer idea of the fallout made me sick to my stomach.

I couldn't fire him because I...because I wanted him. That was completely unfair and unethical.

_Could I have both?_

_I wanted both._

I groaned and tossed my head against the hard table top without even thinking that it might possibly hurt and swallowed the unlady-like grunt that sprang forth.

I listened to his message again, the sound of his voice crushing my heart inside my chest. I deserved it. I was a ruthless and cold hearted bitch and I didn't deserve him.

But I wanted him. _So much_. And I knew, as I listened to that message one more time, Edward Cullen had stolen me. Mind, body, heart, and soul.

I spent the rest of my day doing nothing. Edward didn't call again and I couldn't say I blamed him. Alice kept calling and eventually I turned off my phone. I was still getting a grip on these new emotions and I needed to get to the other side before I even considered dealing with another person.

The tv was on, but don't ask me what was playing. I think I ate, but I can't be too sure. I know I showered because I did it before the emotional tidal wave washed over me and took me under.

Night fell and I crawled into bed. Clutching my pillow and wishing it was soft, pale flesh over toned muscle, I willed myself to fall asleep.

What a restless sleep it was.

Grouchy, I stormed into my office to the tune of Gianna shouting something behind me, but I was too annoyed to care. I probably should have listened and then maybe I would not have been assaulted by Alice and her fifty questions.

"So, did you see him?"

"Was he happy to see you?"

"Did he miss you?"

"What did you do?"

"Did you have more mind blowing sex?"

"Did you stay the night?"

"Why didn't you answer my calls yesterday?"

"Were you still in his bed?"

"What does his place look like? Is it as put together as he is? You know, bachelor pads can be sketchy. I saw this movie once with two bachelors and a skeevy shower..."

"Alice?"

"Yeah, Bells?"

"Shut the fuck up."

"Well what the hell crawled under your skirt? Obviously not Edward or anything else satisfactory for that matter. You weren't even this grouchy when he was gone for oh...thirty-six hours."

_Was she mocking me? Seriously?_

I dropped my stuff on my desk and sank into my seat, sighing heavily.

"I just....I think I fucked up."

"How?"

"I left."

"Left what?"

"Edward."

"Can you start at the beginning please, sweetie?"

So I told her everything. How I showed up at his place, how he never got to eat the food I brought him, but ate me instead. How I slept soundly next to him but woke up startled and bolted. Then how I ignored his calls and everyone's, and the heart breaking voicemail and then sitting around like a zombie all day.

"I think..."

"Go on."

"I think it's more than sex."

Alice squealed, hopped and all those endearing/annoying things she does when she's excited that often made me want to hose her down with a bucket of ice cold water.

"Does he know?"

"Obviously not! I ran out of his condo like Road Runner on speed and I haven't spoken to him since. God, Ali, the sound of his voice as he called my name when I left. And then his voicemail. He hasn't called since. What if I made a huge mistake?"

"Bella, you have been the aggressor in this relationship. If you want him, you can't stop. He probably has no idea what's going on. And you've told me about his limited experience with this sort of thing. I bet he's all confused."

"What about work? He's contracted now. Jake will have a fit and what if it ends badly? What will that mean for the company? For Pure Green?"

"Really, Bella? Do you think he's that kind of guy? You say you haven't seen or spoken to him since Saturday night, right?" I nod. "Well, I'm seeing him and Emmett Cullen in about forty-five minutes. So far, everything is normal. Even after your deplorable behavior. I mean, I get that you're all over the place, but I know your parents raised you with better manners than that."

"You're right. That was pretty assoholic behavior on my part."

"And do you remember the Volturi contract EC2 scored last year?"

I growled out a "yes," not so pleased with where this was going.

"Well, then you also remember how it was smeared in the news that he was sleeping with the President's youngest daughter. Yet, he still managed to make them a mint! Always calm and professional regardless of the bullshit that was storming around him."

"How do you know all this?"

"Bella, first, what kind of best friend would I be if I didn't check up on the guys you were bedding? I've done it with all of them. Riley, Alec, Felix, Eric..."

"Alright, I get the point. When you count them off like that it makes me look like a slut."

Alice just laughed. "You're not a slut, Bella. You're sexually liberated."

"That's like PC talk for slut, Ali."

"Anyway," she said with a roll of her eyes, "Secondly, what makes you think I didn't check into the man who was going to make my company a raving success?"

I had to laugh at her incredulous attitude as she stood there with her hands on her hips. "So what do I do?"

"Well, why don't I go meet them and I'll text you how he is. Either way, you need to contact him. _Today_."

I nodded as she came around my desk and gave me a strong armed hug before she left my office with a twirl. I did feel slightly better, but not one-hundred percent, after talking to Alice. I just hoped she was right.

There was a management meeting I had to oversee in about fifteen minutes, so I headed down a few floors, phone in hand, anxiously awaiting Alice's text. Work was good; work was distracting. I could do this.

I took my place at the head of the table as the different department heads went over their various agendas.

Customer service was pitching for a new phone system, legal gave me a run down of the various contracts and their status. It appeared as though we had about eight that hadn't been fully received by the other side and some schmoozing might have to take place.

Human Resources went over their list of new hires and new applicants, showing me a sheet of ten people they wanted myself or Jacob to interview personally for different positions. I glanced at the list, it seemed simple enough. I told them that Gianna would coordinate my schedule with them to set them up and they might want to call Emily to see about Jacob's schedule.

We moved on to the sales team and they were discussing new clients they wanted to approach when my phone vibrated in my lap. This wasn't unusual, so it wasn't like anyone was going to say anything. I _was_ the President.

_"He seems okay, but a little edgy. CALL HIM!" ~A_

I frown. "Edgy? What does that even mean?" ~B

_"It means that he hasn't smiled once since I entered the room. And even his brother is looking at him funny, but he's working just fine." ~A_

I was pretty sure I could see her rolling her eyes at me from across town. I put my phone down and tried to listen to Colin ramble on about a smoothie company that had potential.

I needed to see him. Lunch would be great. It was soon and there was no proclivity of sex. Though I could certainly make sex in the middle of the day a possibility, it wasn't as much of a worry as at night. As great as the sex was, I wanted more.

But I'm booked all day until seven and I already had lunch scheduled with the partners of the law firm that handled my parents' estate. I couldn't really blow them off for a date, a hook up, a conversation or whatever. It wasn't very professional.

It would just have to be dinner. I hoped.

I grabbed my phone and found his number.

"Dinner?" ~B

I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Nothing. The meeting wrapped and I headed back to my office. Just as I entered the elevator my phone vibrated with a message.

"_Yes." ~E  
_  
I texted him back when and where just as Alice texted me again.

_"Guess who just smiled?" ~A_

** *~PR~***

**~Edward Cullen~**

"Bella?" I called out just as I heard my front door shut. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and got out of bed.

"Bella?" I called again. Nothing. I looked at the floor where her dress was left but it was gone. I looked around and there was nothing left to say she was here. Save the cold sub and warm beer left on the kitchen counter.

_She left._

Just like Angela.

_She left._

_They always left._

I sank down onto a kitchen stool and rested my head in my hands. I had no idea what to do, but I wasn't calling Emmett because I knew the last thing I needed right now was crude humor and jabbing laughter.

I got up and paced the floor in the hallway that lead to the living room, but all I could think about was her.

I moved quickly down the hall as if she would miraculously appear or had never left. I sat on my bed, missing her and wishing I had woken earlier to watch her sleep in person. Had I known she would leave me, I would have done just that. Just so I could commit the glorious sight to memory.

I picked up my phone and I called her. She didn't answer. I called her two more times and then threw my phone on the bed in frustration.

She didn't want me. I wasn't enough for her.

I knew this would happen.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the pillow, her pillow on the right side of my bed. The bed we shared last night but she fled from this morning. I could smell her everywhere. Her hair, her skin, her...sex. Then I realized I smelled like her. I had Bella's scent all over me.

I wanted her back.

I picked up my phone to call her again. And again she didn't answer. Like a fool, I convinced myself that maybe she just hadn't heard it and it had nothing to do with me, but deep down I knew better.

With my last shred of sanity, dignity, and hope, I left her a pathetic voicemail. My voice caught in my throat as I spoke, making me sound like a scared pubescent boy who had just sprouted his first pubic hair. Exactly how I felt.

I should be better at this; I should have made this kind of phone call in the sixth grade. Thirteen year old boys were better at this than I was.

I apologized. For what? I had no clue because I didn't really know what I did. So I guess I was really just apologizing for..._being me_. Never enough.

I worked out after leaving that heart wrenching voicemail, hoping to turn some of the frustration and self-loathing into sweat. Sweat, I did. Feel better, I did not.

I missed her.

And I was mad at myself. She cracked everything I was and left me open and vulnerable because I let her.

I never saw Isabella Swan coming.

And even now, I wouldn't change one minute of it. Not one thing about it would I alter, except maybe the end. But if the end changed the history, then I didn't want it. She tapped into a side of me that I never knew existed.

Sure I'd had the physiological reaction to girls. I wasn't unfamiliar with an erection, but it never went past that. And I just liked work more. It was satisfying, exciting and fairly uncomplicated. As nervous and awkward as I was, I was good at my job. They didn't expect me to be smooth and sly. I was the techno genius and that was what they got. Sure, I could make a presentation and present it well, but that was part of my job and I took the utmost pride in my work.

I loved learning to play piano so young or learning seven languages, soon to be eight. I enjoyed the fact that I acquiesced to my mother's insistence on things like ballroom and sewing a basic hemline so when I had functions to attend or my shoe got caught in my pants, I knew what to do. There was just so much in the world to learn and I wanted to learn it all. Do it all. Reach my full potential. I had the brain for it, so why not?

I had always been around such vapid women. Even at Dartmouth and then Harvard. Women with limited goals or ideals, no opinions. Lemmings milling about, void of anything substantial.

Not Bella.

I was...enthralled by her. So young to have so much power, but she didn't hold herself any higher than others. I had seen the recent photos of her in the paper as a volunteer at local shelters and helping underprivileged kids learn how to read. The way she interacted with people was guarded, but not self-important.

So sexy and soft and smart. Beautiful to watch her just talk or smile. I dare say, Bella was perfect. I was drawn to her before we ever even touched physically and she proved to be savvy as well when she lured me back to her office.

Emmett's admonishment to "bone up" came to mind and I immediately kicked myself for admitting to her that I _liked_ her.  
_  
She said she liked you, too._

_She didn't mean it.  
_  
Frustrated, I threw myself into work for the rest of the afternoon. I knew we had a meeting with Alice Brandon-Whitlock tomorrow and I was nothing if not professional. I could continue to make this account a huge success even if my heart hurt.

The next morning, Emmett and I met at Pure Green offices downtown.

"Dude! You okay? Did _Ms. Swan_ rock your world and keep you overnight to nurse you back to health?" Emmett asked with a laugh. I just looked at him and he immediately shut up. "For real, bro, what happened?"

I just shook my head. It was a new day and I was excited about this new account; the sun...well...it was shining somewhere. So I was not going to dwell on what happened with Bella.

We entered the building of Pure Green, a modest but exquisitely designed stand alone building just off downtown Seattle. Most of the front was smoked glass. Imagine billows and billows of beautifully, frothy smoke flying in the air and then being captured between two panes of glass.

The bottom level was a medium sized showroom where the clothes would be presented to all who entered. It had pillars of the same smoked glass as the shop front. There was a security booth off to the right once you entered that was shielded by the same smoked glass.

The floor was an elegant plum marble and the walls were an interesting shade of gray, almost silver. It was almost regal actually. The entire look was punctuated with green accents and trim in the same color as the Pure Green moniker, speaking to the company name.

Alice burst forth from the double doors at the back of the show room with a wide smile and I couldn't help but smile back at her; it was infectious. She almost danced over to us, just like she did that first day I met her in the conference room after I gave my initial presentation. Emmett reached out his hand to her, but she moved right past it for a hug. I watched as he stumbled back a little at the force of her embrace. I guess I should have warned him Alice was a hugger.

She hugged me, but this time I was prepared for it.

"Welcome to Pure Green, gentlemen. Emmett, may I call you Emmett?" He nodded. "It's so nice to finally meet you in person. Now before we get down to business, I'd like to give you the tour and feel of the place and then I have coffee and delicious goodies for you in my office where we can chat. Leave your things on the counter; Heidi will be by in a moment to fetch them."

She didn't wait for a response from us as she pivoted on her spiky heel and lead the way around the building.

She told us that she designed everything herself, picked the materials, drew out the specifics and oversaw their implementation. Emmett asked why she chose purple marble rather than the green, considering the company name. Alice's answer was simple.

"Green floors remind me of public restrooms," Alice and I both shuddered and Emmett laughed. "I want the people who wear my clothes to feel royal and elegant and happy. Yes, they come from environmentally friendly fabrics and are created in the most earth friendly way possible, but that doesn't mean you should feel they are worth any less. Because they aren't. Besides, purple is a universally flattering color."

Emmett laughed in acceptance and I felt a tinge of pain as I remembered a purple dress Bella had worn one day when we had coffee together. She looked radiant in it. Then again, when hadn't Bella looked stunning?

I shook my head and turned back to Alice who was explaining the lighting fixtures now, the way they would enhance the look of her already "fabulous designs" as well as their eco-friendly aspect. I could tell I was going to enjoy working with her; she was very passionate about her work and her cause and she paid great attention to detail.

We settled into Alice's office; Emmett grabbed a plate and piled it sky high with pastries and fruits. I made a cup of coffee and stared at the pastries, trying to determine which one would crumble the least. After realizing they were all too terribly prone to messy crumbling, I settled on an apple and took a seat at the round table in Alice's office.

After being seated, I took another more thorough look at Alice's office. The term eclectic-princess came to mind. Whimsical figurines and classic furniture. A bubblegum pink chaise sat opposite a cherry wood, claw foot desk. Modern photos set inside timelessly elegant frames next to pieces by Van Gogh and Renoir in bold colored, contemporay frames.

A wall adjacent to Alice's cherry wood desk was covered in photos. To a lazy eye, it would appear that they were thrown up there haphazardly. However, I could see that each placement was specifically chosen for the artful display. I got up and eyed the wall more closely as Alice stepped out for a moment to talk to her assistant.

The pictures were like a montage into Alice's life and I felt my chest tighten as my eyes roamed over the cherub cheeks of a young Bella, as they praised over the rounded hips and growing breasts of a teenage Bella, as they perused the black and white stills of Alice and Bella playing in the sand. There was a picture of Bella and Alice with what must have been their parents on Christmas morning; Bella looked to be around sixteen in that photo.

There were pictures of Alice and Bella shoving birthday cake into each other's mouths, Alice and Bella in front of the Eiffel tower and a pyramid in Egypt. I started to wonder what it would be like to travel with Bella. Hold her against me in a gondola in Venice, dance with her to castanets and guitars in Spain or feed her authentic sushi while we sat on a straw mat in Japan. Waking up to her next to me, both of us spent from the night before.

Then I tried to rid myself of the thought, knowing it would never happen.

There was a frame with two photos in it. Alice was in the middle of a bunch of girls with a half nude man straddling her lap. It must have been her bachelorette party; the photo seemed fairly recent. Her arms extended outward and I followed them to see her holding onto Bella and pulling her towards them. The picture next to it showed Bella sitting on Alice's lap while the naked man danced in front of both of them, both girls laughing. I felt the heat of jealousy stir in the pit of my stomach as my fists clenched at my sides.

A little further down was a shot of Alice in an absolutely phenomenal wedding dress with a gorgeous Bella in an emerald green, strapless cocktail length dress, holding Alice's train in one of the wedding photos. Next to it was one with a closeup of the girls' faces, eyes glittering with unshed tears. Someone forgot to tell Bella you're not supposed to outshine the bride on her day.

"Shall we get started?" Alice asked from right next to me and I jumped in my skin. I was so enthralled looking at the photos, I didn't even hear her approach.

"Yeah, sure," I said with my voice cracking.

I took my seat at the table and noticed that Emmett had already eaten half of his plate of trans fats and concentrated carbohydrates and I just rolled my eyes.

My brother was an ass, but he was all business when he needed to be. Charming and friendly, but also cut throat and cunning. We made a great pair. Alice sat between us as we went over her specific requests and our plans within the budget constraints, which weren't really there.

Alice loved our semi-color splash idea to feature the signature Pure Green color in each ad-print, live media, store front, etc. Since the overall idea was a minimalist approach, this would be quite simple to do. And we thought her request to include real people amongst the hired models for the campaign was excellent.

Surprisingly, we only disagreed on a few things, which was a nice change of pace from a lot of clients we've dealt with. For example, she insisted all ads be printed by EcoPrint, which was a paper company that donated eighty-five percent of their profits to environmental improvement. The problem with this was one, their prices were outrageous and two, it might be difficult to get certain magazines to allow this. Eventually, we gave in to promise to shoot for one hundred percent, but at least get eighty percent of the print ads done with EcoPrint.

It did test my ability to compromise, but it all worked out in the end.

Even before I saw the photos, I knew Alice and Bella were best friends. Before I came to this meeting today, I had hoped that Alice would not harbor any ill feelings towards me for whatever I did wrong with Bella. I didn't want it to tarnish our working relationship. But if she knew, she didn't lead on to that fact. She was every bit a professional.

Even with her insistence on hugs and terms of endearment. Emmett just beamed every time she called him "sugar," which she said she got from her Texas cowboy husband. I was slowly warming up to "buttercup." I felt like Alice was the kind of girl I could grow to be friends with if the circumstances were different.

The entire morning I kept glancing over at the _Montage de Alice_. Except, I wasn't looking at Alice.

So much for _not_ thinking about _her_.

I stepped out to the restroom for a moment. Ordinarily, I'd probably try and hold it, even after five cups of coffee. However, I had no doubt the bathrooms at Pure Green were immaculate. I was right. They even smelled nice - like peaches.

When I got back to Alice's office, she was talking to Emmett and they both clammed up when I entered. I just figured he was telling her some dirty joke he'd know I wouldn't want to hear.

I took my seat and we got back to business.

I was in a sour mood, but I tried to hide it. Not that I was ordinarily a cheery guy, that's Emmett's department, but I wasn't a sullen character either. Emmett kept giving me cursory glances as we worked on the timeline and I would just brush it off like he was crazy.

Somewhere between determining the projected launch date for live media, ads and merchandise roll out, I got a text. My phone was sitting on the table and I glanced down at it to see it was a text from Bella asking me if I wanted to go to dinner. I hesitated, zoning out as I stared at the message on my screen.

_Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes._

I wanted to smack my head like you smacked an old fashioned television that was on the fritz to get me to make up my mind.

I sighed and I texted her back. Yes. Of course it was yes. I knew it was yes. It was yes before she even asked.

She texted me back almost immediately with the time and place and there was no way I could contain the Cheshire-like grin that I knew was displayed on my face.

I didn't care what. I didn't care how. I was going to see Bella again.

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**A/N**

**Outfits on the blog (http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com)**

**Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

**I've passed on your messages of disappointment to Bella. She has taken them into consideration.**

**Love to my beta's cclore and PhoenixMP3**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 6: Change in Terms**

**Bella Swan POV**

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Today had been one of those days where time stood still and yet it seemed to get away from me.

I felt like there wasn't enough time to get the things done I _must_ do and I cursed the clock for not moving fast enough to get to the things I _wanted_ to do.

After I confirmed dinner plans with Edward and almost skipped back to my office, I had no idea where the rest of my day went.

I met with my parents' estate attorneys over lunch. Something on the list of things I _must_ do. As a provision in my parents' will, I was required to meet with the "I should have retired fifty years ago" club every other month to ensure everything was being handled responsibly on their end as well as mine.

All I could really think about was Edward.

It was a typical lunch. Talks of rising and declining stocks, the current value of my parents' home, the value of the money I had access to, but never touch, and the value of that which is set aside in a trust for the distant future. Any planned direction for Black-Swan, Inc. off the current path, etc. Boring really, but necessary.

This time, the staunch older gentlemen brought along one of their younger associates who was now assigned to my account, Mike Newton.

Mike was barely six-feet, blond haired, blue eyed, broad shouldered, and so not my type.

Upon meeting him, he stared a little too intently and held my hand a little too long. "Lovely to meet you, Bella," he said while exaggerating the pronunciation of his "l's", and I had to refrain from laughing at his lame attempt to be sexy.

He sat next to me and offered to help me pick from the menu because he was a frequent visitor and knew the owner very well.

"Oh? You know Jasper Whitlock?" I inquired with feigned interest.

"Oh yeah. Jasper and I go way back." His voice was thick with bravado as he leaned back in his chair and puffed out his chest. I just rolled my eyes.

"That's funny. He's never mentioned you."

"That is funny," Mike replied, looking a little nervous.

"You see, I've known Jasper for ten years now. He's married to my best friend. I know _everyone_ that Jasper knows. I'm certain he would have mentioned one of his oldest friends. Must have slipped his mind," I concluded and turned back to my Shirley Temple like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

I should have felt just a little bad when his face fell after I caught him in a lie, but I couldn't. I was sick of guys trying to pass bullshit off to impress me. I wanted genuine and pure affection.

I wanted Edward.

Mike tried to keep my attention for the rest of the meal, but I stayed focused on the other partners and associates; at least they were significantly older and not obviously and shamelessly trying to get in my pants.

As we parted ways, Mike asked me if I'd like to get dinner with him to discuss finer points of my account that we didn't get to at lunch. I almost snatched my hand from his sweaty one as his thumb started to trace light circles on the inside of my palm.

I politely declined and told him if he needed to discuss anything more, he could call my office to set up a meeting.

In my mind, I was not free to have dinner with Mike, who obviously had no intentions of discussing anything business related. I belonged to someone. I belonged to Edward.

_Belonging_...the thought brought weird, but not unpleasant, sensations all over me... I'd never felt this way before. Not even with Riley.

The funny thing was that before Edward, I would have given Mike a chance or at least my personal email address. If only because I might get bored one night and need something to do. Or I might need a date to one of those ridiculous functions I was often required to attend.

The rest of the day crawled along, but the nagging sensation of counting down the hours and minutes until I would be able to look into those beautiful bottle green eyes again never waned.

Meeting after meeting, proposal after proposal, the day finally came to an end and it was time for me to head to Le Gourmand to meet Edward.

I was nervous. He readily accepted my request for dinner, but I didn't really know what that meant. Maybe he wanted to break it off with me? Break what off I wasn't sure because we never talked about it. Because I never meant to let this happen.

Maybe he would stand me up? If he did, I wouldn't blame him. I deserved it after the way I behaved, but that didn't quell the dull ache at the thought of him _actually_ doing it.

When I arrived at Le Gourmand, Edward was already there seated at the bar and staring at the door. He wore a small smile when he saw me, and I watched as he basically threw back the rest of his drink as I walked over to him.

"Edward, thank you for coming."

"Thanks for...uhm... thanks for asking." I could tell by the waver in his voice that he was unsure, that he was apprehensive. Perhaps even more nervous than I was. Alice's words, that I was the aggressor, came to mind. I needed to assure him and make him feel more comfortable.

I moved closer, just a few steps to close the gap between us. I looked up into his soft and sensitive eyes and kissed him softly on the lips. Just a gentle and lingering kiss to show him why I was here. I was here for him.

Edward took a step back and smiled down at me, a faint blush tinting his gorgeous, pale skin.

"Ms. Swan, your table is ready," the hostess stated.

I grabbed Edward's hand and started to follow the hostess. To my surprise and delight, he placed one of his hands at the small of my back as he moved to walk next to me.

We reached our table, which was actually a booth, and Edward stepped to the side to let me slide in first and then slid in next to me, his thigh brushing against mine, sending a charge through my system.

Our waitress came to take the drinks order and Edward suggested wine. I was both amazed and thrilled with his French eloquence as he requested a 2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Le Vieux Donjon.

"Your accent is amazing. Did you study in France?" I knew he spoke French, as well as several other languages, but I had yet to hear him use any of it.

"When I was young, my mom was managing two households because her mother had passed, and my grandfather suffered from dementia while still trying to raise her younger sister. My aunt was born very late in my grandparents' life. So we had an Au Pair to help out and she taught us French; I picked up my accent from her. My entire family can speak French. Then, I did spend a semester abroad there as well. French was my second language after English of course."

He was rambling and I noticed he was fidgety. He kept rubbing his hands through his hair, and his knee was bouncing under the table, making the booth shake along with his voice.

"Edward," I said, placing my hand on his bouncing knee, "it's alright."

His knee settled, and he seemed to take a moment to compose himself before looking at me. When our eyes met, I saw the confusion and sadness that seemed to go to the very core of his being. He really had no idea what was going on. Or at least, he only picked up on my mixed signals.

I tried to put myself in his shoes. And although I was more sexually experienced, I knew what it was like when a person blew hot and cold with you. It was just confusing! You weren't sure where you stood with them or how you should be. It kept you teetering on a dangerous ledge.

"Tell me about your meeting with Alice."

Although this was a social dinner, talking about work relaxed Edward because of his confidence in the area. In the short time I'd known him, I had come to realize it made him feel less naked and vulnerable if I stuck to a safer topic. Also, getting him talking would help me get a grip on some of my nerves.

He told me about seeing the Pure Green offices and how impressed he was with Alice's design aesthetic. He laughed when he mentioned that Alice almost knocked Emmett over. I haven't met Emmett, but I have heard he's a grizzly bear of a guy. Hard, beefcake muscles and dimples. That's what Alice said anyway.

Edward was excited; his eyes danced with happiness as he talked about the plans and compromises and how well they all seemed to get along sitting in Alice's office.

"I'm really looking forward to this project. More so than any project I've had in a while. Wait, I mean I love all my work. But what I mean is Alice's energy and passion just... it adds so much more to this than your average corporate marketing plan. So I think it will be fun?"

He seemed kind of unsure about the fun part, but the smile on his face and his more relaxed posture let me know he really meant it. This campaign for Edward must be like being in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for a kid.

"I knew Pure Green and ECSquared would be the perfect fit."

"I love that about you, Bella. You're very savvy and have great instincts," he said softly.

I opened my mouth to speak, not like I knew what I wanted to say, but our food was brought to the table and the waitstaff went through their million questions about fresh ground pepper and replenishing bread baskets.

_Did I look like I wanted more fucking bread?_

They finally left and a silence settled between Edward and I as he tasted his poached halibut, and I took a bite of my roasted Guinea hen.

"Edward, I want to apologize for my behavior." He gave me a puzzled look, and I took a deep breath before continuing. "Ok, so I admit to being a complete bitch in the way I treated you."

"I don't know what I did wrong. Can you tell me? I can try and fix it."

"Did wrong? What do you mean?"

"I mean," he paused with a deep sigh, "I mean that I don't know what I did to make you leave. To vanish like you did. You were there and then you were gone, and when I called you didn't answer. It had to be me." The last part came out so softly, it was almost like a last plea before a death march and it broke my heart.

"It wasn't you," I said, grabbing the hand that was resting in his lap. "It could never be you," I said softly as I gazed at him. Edward's thumb stroked over my knuckles, and I felt my skin heat at the contact.

"Then why?"

"I just didn't know how to do both. Have you and keep your contract with ECSquared." It wasn't a total lie because that was a big issue, but how did I also say that I didn't know how to get a grip on these deep feelings you cause?

"That's it?" I nodded. "Oh. I just...I just thought that because I...Angela left, I figured you did, too."

"What? Who the hell is Angela?" The unnatural shrill of my voice startled me.

_Not even two days. We haven't been apart for two days! Who the hell is this Angela person?_

Edward lifted my hand to his lips and gently brushed them against my closed fist.

"So soft," he whispered and I felt my nipples pucker at the sensation of his breath against my skin. He was quiet for a moment, like he was trying to figure out what to say before he spoke again.

"Angela was my _first_ and _only_ girlfriend. I, uhm...I didn't...I wasn't enough for her. So she left."

"Enough how?" Call me stupid, but I really didn't get it.

He let out an exasperated sigh and his shoulders slumped forward. I barely resisted the urge to climb into his lap and stroke his hair and kiss him softly.

"So we... had... sex," he whispered, and I smiled lightly at the little boy innocence. "It was not satisfactory for her and she left the next morning. Left me a note that I wasn't enough for her and it was over. She was going to find a _real_ man that could give her what she needed," he finished and started to fidget with the table cloth.

Anger started to settle over me. How could a person be so callous? Who breaks up with someone like that? What the hell was wrong with this girl that Edward wasn't enough for her? Was she numb - flesh and heart?

Edward peaked over at me out of the corner of his glasses and he was frowning. He looked so defeated, and I was reminded of the sound of his voice as he called my name when I left his condo and the voicemail he left me. It made me realize that I was no better than this Angela bitch that already broke his heart.

I scooted over just a little closer and put my face under his. He was avoiding looking at me, so I just turned his face to mine and kissed him. Softly at first and then with more force as I realized he wasn't going to pull away.

A tender, open mouthed kiss as I stroked his cheek and his other hand came to rest on my waist. I felt him relax a little, and I pulled away to look at him. I needed him to see me when I told him what I had to say. He had given me so much and I needed to give back.

"I am not her, Edward. It was a childish mistake on my part. It had nothing to do with you. You satisfy me in so many ways. I was scared and I ran."

"Scared? Of me?" His voice squeaked a little. "I don't want you to be scared of me."

"Not _of_ you..."

"I don't understand."

"Of the way you make me feel."

"How is that?" Silly boy, he really was just so adorkably clueless.

"Good. Really fucking good and happy. Not that I was miserable, because I wasn't. It's just..." Before I could say another word, Edward's lips were on mine, kissing me. This had only happened once before, right after the fantastic sex on my desk.

I practically melted into his touch. The feel of his control as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, and his arm snaked around my waist to pull me closer. I rested my palms inside his jacket against his shirt, then I naturally fisted the fabric as I molded myself to him.

Seconds, minutes, hours, I have no clue, passed by before Edward broke us apart. His cheeks looked as flush as mine felt and I smiled at him. A warm, happy smile that resonated all the way to the tips of my toes.

"Do...you wanna go?" he asked hesitantly as he stroked my cheek.

"Yes!"

He tossed a wad of cash on the table, and we scurried out of the booth and almost dashed out of the restaurant, leaving our food barely touched.

When we got outside, Edward hailed a cab and we hopped in. In that moment, it didn't occur to me that I was leaving my car behind. I was consumed with going wherever he was about to take me and just going with it.

As the cabbie drove on, I decided I didn't want to sit in my own seat anymore, and I crawled into Edward's lap. He seemed startled at first, but then I pressed myself into him and his lips found mine.

The kissing was messy and frantic and hot! Lips roamed and teeth grazed as we panted into each other's mouths. Edward's lips moved to my neck, and I let out a small gasp as he nipped and licked at my skin.

Between us, the skirt of my dress was hiked up, the only thin barriers between us were my panties and the cloth of his slacks. It took every ounce of control I had to not undo his zipper, push my thong aside and mount him right there.

His hands massaged my thighs sitting on either side of his lap, kneading and prodding the skin and making me even more worked up than I already was. Not like I needed it; Edward was intoxicating without anything extra.

I could feel my skin hum for him, my body sing for him. I felt my want and desire slowly start to dominate over my rational thoughts to stop this. Rational thoughts that were starting to have no hold on me.

"Oh!" I gasped as a set of elegant fingers snaked their way up the inside of my thigh and started to rub against me through my panties. I pressed my hips forward to get more friction where I so desperately needed it and leaned forward, taking Edward's ear between my lips.

I could feel just how hard he was beneath me and with every pass of my gyrating hips, I swear, he got impossibly harder. His hand was shaky as it rested against my back, showing me he was still a little nervous. I moved my hand between us and pressed my palm against his cock, and he let out a shuddered breath against my neck.

The cabbie announced we had reached our destination, and I was pleased to see he took us to Edward's place; I was eager to make up for my previously rude behavior. I slid off of Edward and fixed my dress while he paid and we exited the cab. He then held his hand out to me, and I placed mine in his as we walked into his building.

I saw a glimpse of us in one of the mirrored walls, and it was clear we definitely went on a cab ride.

We stepped into the elevator, and Edward leaned against the wall and pulled me back against him, groaning at the pressure of my back against his hardness. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my neck.

"You smell so good," he told me as he took a deep breath and flicked his tongue on my neck. "Taste even better."

I reached behind me and pressed my fingers into his hair and gave it a tug while pushing back against him harder. It was fun and kind of like high school as I rubbed myself against him, and although I wasn't getting any immediate pussy contact, it felt good to me, too.

As if he was reading my mind, Edward moved a hand down my waist and slipped it into my dress, moving down until the tips of his fingers grazed my clit. They swirled and tickled my sensitive flesh, and I wanted nothing more than for him to bend me over and fuck me right then.

I turned my head to seek out his mouth with mine, and he moaned as our tongues slid against one another and his hips ground against me while his fingers teased me so deliciously.

All too soon, the elevator pinged to let us know we had reached his floor. The few steps to his door were silent as the anticipation hung between us. I had not intended to fuck him tonight. I intended to talk and enjoy his company, which I did.

_But he started it right? Sure, I crawled onto his lap in the cab, but it was his suggestion to leave in the first place. Did it really matter? No!_

It was no use denying the heat between us. It was palpable.

The door opened, and I stepped in before him but kept his hand in mine so he remained close. I knew where I was going, so I lead him down the hall to his bedroom. I stopped just at the edge of the bed and spun around to face him. I saw the fears and nervousness rolling off of him in waves. I couldn't be sure what caused the sudden shift, but I wasn't going to let it stop me.

"Bella, I...."

I pressed a finger to his lips to stop him. I was pretty sure he was going to try and talk us out of this. How did I know? Because a nagging voice in the back of my brain was saying the same thing. But I already told her to shut the fuck up.

I wanted him to undress me and I wanted to undress him, but I knew he wouldn't do it unless I prompted him. So I slid his suit coat off of his strong shoulders, letting my fingers dance along the hard muscle through the sateen fabric of his shirt. I undid the buckle of his belt and pulled it quickly through the loops, dropping it on the floor.

He realized what I was doing and with timid hands, he started to lift the hem of my dress slowly up my thighs until he reached my hips and then he paused. He gathered it in his fists as he passed my waist, and I lifted my arms to allow him to pull it over my head.

He stared at me for a long moment, making me squirm just a little before I reached out and untucked his shirt. He started to undo his buttons, suddenly in a haste to be naked, but I swatted his hands to let me do it; I wanted to be the one to undress him.

He toed off his shoes and socks as I slid his pants and boxers down his legs; he stepped out of them to the side. He then lowered his hands to my skin, softly stroking my arms and stomach and gently caressing my neck and shoulders. I felt goosebumps pop up on every layer of skin that he touched and I wasn't cold.

He came closer and kissed me; his hands somewhat shakily moved to my back and fumbled a little to unclasp my bra and set my ready and waiting breasts free. I pushed my chest against him and moaned as my nipples met with his hard muscles and speckling of chest hair.

Relinquishing my lips, he moved his gorgeous mouth to my neck, blazing a wet trail of fire across my skin as he moved to my shoulder and down my chest. He pulled a hardened nipple into his mouth and my knees shook beneath me. Luckily, he had one hand on my back.

He continued to kiss down my body and when he reached my panties, he pulled them down, placing kisses in their wake. When he became so smooth with this, I had no fucking clue. But I really liked it. I stepped out of my thong, and Edward began kissing down my leg. He unzipped my boot, slid it off and did the same with the other leg.

With both boots off, he kissed up one leg and down the other, then back up again. The soft kisses were sending every inch of my skin on high alert, and I could feel myself coming more alive with his touch.

On his last pass, he stopped at the apex of my thighs and seemed to take a moment, but a moment too long in my opinion. So I pushed my hips forward slightly, and the bare skin of my pussy pressed against his nose. His face shifted, and I shuddered as his lips grazed my folds in a soft kiss and then his tongue darted out to lick my skin.

"Mmmm," he hummed softly.

I lifted my hand to his hair as his tongue slithered against my skin, firm and wet, making me moan with want and need. His hands crawled up my legs and settled on my thighs, spreading me even more open for him, and I gasped and writhed with every flick of his tongue against my aching clit. I was vaguely aware that I was pretty much fucking his face, but I didn't care. It felt so good and I couldn't make my hips still or force myself to pull him away.

Lost in the feel of his tongue, my orgasm crept up on me, and I cried out with a shriek as the pleasure took me under. My knees buckled and my thighs felt like jelly, making it nearly impossible to stand. Luckily, Edward had a firm grip on my legs and was able to steady me before I fell and made an ass of myself.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Mmhm," I replied as I took his lips with mine when he stood up.

I spun us around while kissing him and pushed him down on the bed, crawling up his legs and straddling his waist, then kissing him more. His erection was settled between us, and I found myself grinding against it as his hands gripped my back, my ass and my thighs, any skin within his reach. We were both breathing hard as our mouths mashed together, and I knew that this wasn't what either of us wanted, regardless of how good it felt.

"Bella, I want to feel you. Please," he groaned, almost as if he could read my mind.

I shifted myself and grabbed his cock between us before I lifted my hips and lined him up at my entrance. Almost painfully slow, I sank down onto him, engulfing him until I reached the hilt and sighed deeply as I adjusted to the sensational burn of him stretching me.

I rocked a little, just enjoying the feeling of him inside me before I started to gather an up and down rhythm to my liking. Edward's grunts met my moans, and his hips shifted to meet mine in a magnificent dance of body tingling sex. Every time I came down, his hips would thrust up and hit my clit, giving me the most delicious shock of pleasure.

My hands roamed over his chiseled chest, and I loved the feeling of his hard muscles under me. He lifted his head to take one of my nipples into his mouth, and I felt him smile against me when I gasped as he pulled it between his teeth.

"So good," I cried, trying to keep my second release at bay because it really did feel just so fucking good and I didn't want to stop.

In a swift movement, one I never expected, Edward flipped us over, keeping us joined in the most intimate way, shifting him on top of me. A small giggle escaped me at the excitement of being flipped, and it took me a second to acclimate my equilibrium to the spinning.

It was agile and sexy and just fuckhot to experience.

His glasses slipped, he pushed them off of the bed and they hit the floor with a light thud.

Edward brought me back to Earth or the moon or Venus or whatever fucking celestial body we were on as he resumed thrusting while latching his lips to my neck. His lips were moving, but I couldn't make out a single word he was saying as there was no sound. I raked my fingers through his hair and along his back as he thrust his hard cock into me strong and deep, causing his bed to shift slightly underneath us.

He fumbled a little as he searched for my lips in the dark, but when he found them, I kissed him with all the passion I could muster while digging my hands into his hair, holding him to me and wrapping my legs around him.

I moaned and mewed as my eyes rolled into the back of my head as he fucked me, my nipples pressed against his chest, rubbing deliciously against it. His sounds rang in my ear and drove me to the edge.

"Oh, shit, Bella..." he started but couldn't finish.

"I know, baby," I answered.

It felt like I was soaring as he sat up and looked into my eyes while continuing to press deeply into me. I was sure I saw something else there, the same thing I was feeling deep in the crevices of my very soul. I knew this was more than just a fuck.

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**A/N**

For the record, they are both clean and Bella is on birth control - take your pick. Remembering a condom can be hampering to writing flow. If you're reading this, I assume you're at least 18 and therefore, you should already know the importance of safe sex. If not, I have a website I can link you to.

Outfits on my blog.

What do you think about make up sex? Tell me.

Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**

cclore and PhoenixMP3 take my writing to new heights, but I will never get past/passed and I love that they do!

Important PSA at the bottom.

**I am the proud owner of a new iPad named Cupcake and a fuckawesome picture with Jackson Rathbone. I do not own Twilight or it's characters, but I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 7: The Unveiling**

**Edward Cullen POV**

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I'd been seeing Bella for over a month. Well, 42 days, 17 hours, 48 minutes, 15, now 16 seconds.

I supposed I'd been seeing her. I assumed we were...dating? We never really discussed it. I mean, we have talked. It's just not like one of those pinning ceremonies from an old doo-wop movie or something. She told me she was a little freaked out at the intensity of our connection, which kind of freaked me out because I felt the same way.

I never asked her to be my girlfriend or anything. I'm not even sure how one would go about something like that. Besides, the titles of Boyfriend and Girlfriend seemed a bit juvenile. Although I certainly knew I wasn't seeing anyone else. The thought of the ridiculous possibility made me laugh. She mentioned that she wasn't interested in anyone else other than me. So I guess we were now considered an item by popular definition.

It was more than that for me, and I believed the same could be said for her? Sometimes I thought so. Like maybe**,** the way she would look at me or touch me. But at other times I wasn't sure. For example, if we would sleep together and she wouldn't stay. Always at my place, never at hers.

Let's face it, I wasn't some suave playboy type with the ability to read and understand the one thing that baffled damn near every man - the complexity of a woman. I'm Edward Cullen. HTML, Java, _Microsoft_, I got. Women, not so much or at all, rather.

I didn't have the nerve to just blatantly ask her, and there was no way I could tell her that I loved her. No way at all. I didn't love Angela and her leaving me hurt like the ripping of duct tape off of really dry skin. I should know; Emmett did it to me growing up. So I was sure that if I told Bella I loved her and she ran away again, I wouldn't survive it.

I couldn't live in a world where she wasn't with me. She wasn't mine and I wasn't hers.

I wanted her always and forever.

I had not been so sure of anything since I talked my parents into the merits of Apple over Microsoft and got my first "Bondi Blue" iMac G3.

The sex was amazing! Bella is very spontaneous and ridiculously flexible. The sex on my terrace when she wrapped her legs around the bars, giving me deeper access. The time I was behind her and she reached between us, pulling me forward by my cock and pushing her hips backwards. Then she bent over and grabbed her ankles, demanding I thrust into her harder.

The last time I was out of town, she text me right when I got to my hotel after a conference where I gave a keynote address. The text told me to open my suitcase, which of course I did. Resting inside was this contraption that looked like a tiny remote control. Then she text me "press play," which of course I did, once I found the play button on the tiny thing. Then she text me a picture that showed her on her bed, back arched with a caption that read "get online and watch while you make me come from Indianapolis."

We played with that toy every night while I was away.

But god, she was so much more than sex. She was brains and beauty and heart. She was perfect and perfectly made for me in every way. From the way she managed to understand me through my rambling and bumbling, to the way she knew just what to say to ease my anxiety, to how she fit around me when I was inside her.

Thinking of Bella _always_ made me smile.

I didn't know how to tell her.

Being with her was like heaven! Not knowing what to do about it was my own personal hell!

Emmett was no help.

"_Enjoy it, bro."_

_"Don't scare the pussy."_

_"You mean to tell me you get head that makes you sing and you're worried about how she __**feels **__about you?"_

Did I mention my brother was an ass?

Emmett was useless, and I didn't really feel comfortable talking to anyone else. After all, this whole thing between us was kind of a secret. Not in like a creepy, sneak around kind of way. More like a don't ask, don't tell kind of way. Both of us were more or less concerned about how this might affect our respective companies.

However, as the days wore on, I became less and less concerned with that fact. First of all, I owned my company. It was mine and no one could take it away.

Second, the contract with Pure Green wasn't the only one we had going on. We had long term contracts, short term contracts, clients I wished would go the fuck away, who didn't. So even if we had to lose it, due to my relationship with Bella, we'd be okay. Let me clarify, I didn't _want_ to lose it. I was genuinely thrilled to be working with Pure Green.

Third, the business began before I even laid eyes on Bella. I guessed meeting her and everything that had happened between us could be considered a perk. At least that was what Emmett said when he tried to reason with me, when I showed up at his door slightly panicked one night a few weeks ago. The same night I finally admitted to myself that I loved Bella.

Fourth, well, I didn't really have a fourth. I just preferred even numbers, so I threw this in for good measure. It was all meaningless without her. She made me feel alive and important. I truly felt like I was starting to break free. I guess I did have a fourth after all.

Alice was having a party tonight because apparently, this was what Alice did. I was still a little confused on that note. Bella told me that in college, Alice was the social chair of her sorority before becoming president or something. Apparently, her parents never really supported her fashion habit, so she made money on the side for her passion by planning parties for people. When Bella told me the story, she asked me if I ever saw _Van Wilder_ and I just shrugged saying I never had the pleasure of meeting him. She laughed, but I still didn't really know why that was so funny.

Parties made me nervous. Like, pace tracks in my floor, run to the bathroom and hurl the contents of my stomach, then stand up only to bend over and do it again, nervous. I never knew what to do or say. I fidgeted with my glass and got anxious about asking a girl to dance; it wasn't the dancing, it was the asking. What's worse was this wasn't business related. The final clincher was that Alice specifically told me that if I tried to find some excuse to back out, she would make me model the clothes in the next round of photos for Pure Green.

It was swimsuits. Absolutely not!

I had no idea who would be present. All I knew was that Bella would be there, but we weren't going together. I did hope she'd come home with me though. She was in Sacramento for the last four days and I missed her.

I talked to her while she was gone and I don't think I'll ever get tired of iChat sex, not with Bella, but it didn't compare to the feeling of her soft, floral scented skin. It paled in comparison to the real thing. Even the high quality graphics on a Mac didn't do Bella justice!

Standing in front of the mirror, I couldn't decide if I wanted to wear this tie or not. The party was at Burnt Orange, which was owned by Jasper Whitlock, Alice's husband. I'd never really been indecisive about what to wear, but tonight I couldn't make up my mind. On one hand, I loved when Bella tugged me closer by my tie. On the other, I loved it when she placed her soft lips against the exposed skin of my neck when I didn't wear one.

In the end, I decided no tie. Exposed neck kisses win.

Arriving at Burnt Orange, I handed my car over to valet and anxiously walked inside, taking deep breaths through my nose and exhaling through my mouth in an attempt to calm my raw nerves. As soon as I entered the door, Alice was there.

"Edward!" she cooed when she saw me. "I just knew you would be the next one to enter."

"Thank you for having me, Alice."

"Nonsense, we're practically family and definitely friends. Drink up, buttercup. Bella's not here yet," she said with a wink, as she handed me a glass of champagne and turned to greet the next person.

It's early in the party, but the restaurant was already buzzing with people. I found myself ignoring them and paid a good deal of attention to the decor and structure. Things that made me less nervous.

"Imported, Italian, pearl marble," said a voice thick with a southern accent to my left. "Jasper Whitlock," said the voice as I turned in it's direction and away from the pillar I was shamelessly gawking at. Jasper's hand was extended and I grasped it in a firm but friendly handshake.

"Edward Cullen," I replied.

"Nice to finally meet you, Edward. I've heard plenty of good things."

I nodded. For some reason, I didn't feel as anxious as I expected to feel upon meeting him. Alice glided up to him and laced her arm through his.

"I'm so glad you boys have finally met. You're both so busy, but I know you'll get along great. Talk amongst yourselves, I've got guests to entertain." With that, Alice was flitting off again.

"Tell me, is she always like that?"

"Sure is. Beautiful and full of life. She keeps me on my toes," Jasper said with a laugh.

I laughed softly with him, thinking about how she kept me on my toes in meetings and dealings about Pure Green. Around that time, Emmett strolled through the door with Rosalie and I waved him over, happy to see a familiar face.

I nervously introduced everyone and we settled into a friendly conversation, only stopping when Jasper stopped a girl to ask her to bring us a round of drinks. Alice would come by every few minutes to chat before disappearing to socialize with her guests.

People were talking and dancing about and I kept nervously glancing at my Tag Heuer, noting the time and the fact that Bella had yet to surface. I knew she was scheduled to get back from Sacramento early this morning, but had not spoken to her. When I arrived, Alice said she wasn't here _yet_, so that meant she was coming right?

Maybe she wasn't. Maybe she got held up in Sacramento. Maybe she met some stranger on the plane and they had an instant connection and she was taken with his strong will and dominance - things I lack. Now they were back at her place, rolling in the sheets I had yet to see first hand. I was going crazy.

"Hey," Emmett nudged me in the shoulder, breaking me from my thoughts. I turned to look at him and he nodded in the direction of the door. Rosalie and Alice were talking about the merits of a platform shoe as I turned my head and followed his eyes to finally rest my gaze on her.

Bella.

My Bella.

My entire focus was on her. She looked ethereal in a royal blue dress that made her skin glow like an angel. She stepped down the two steps at the entrance, leading to the dining area and craned her neck to look around. I couldn't help the larger than life smile I felt spread across my face when we made eye contact and her mega watt smile was on display, just for me.

She moved forward, pressing through the crowds that had gathered and before I knew it, I was moving to meet her halfway.

"Hey," I said softly.

"Hey yourself, stranger," she replied, running her hand down the front of my shirt and making me feel alive.

I was lost in the moment with her before I heard Alice call her name and then watched as she embraced her in a crushing hug.

Alice let her go and we walked back to where Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were standing. Alice was going a mile a minute, asking Bella about the weather, if she got any shopping done and if she got to eat lunch at some restaurant that apparently they loved. As we walked, my hand brushed against hers and I was pleasantly surprised when she laced her fingers in mine.

Introductions were given and I was surprised to see Emmett and Rosalie so friendly with Bella. That just wasn't Rosalie's thing. However, when she said, "Damn Edward! Who knew you were capable of reeling in the hottest dish on the menu? Next to me of course", I knew she was fine with Bella.

We were all talking amongst ourselves, but Alice and Bella seemed to have some heated discussion going on, separate from the rest of us.

"Everything okay?" I asked and Bella nodded while Alice scowled, shook her head and then smiled.

I figured it was something between them and chose not to pry.

A little later, Bella excused herself after giving me a soft kiss. I was delighted to see that us being out in public didn't really seem to phase her. We'd been in public before, but a lot of her friends and people she knew were here. It was more concentrated at an event such as this.

Jasper was telling us about this concept he had for a new restaurant, which honestly was pretty fascinating. You picked your meats, vegetables, sauces, etc. and then a chef made it for you. It was like a twist on hibachi.

"It's not the first of it's kind, mind you, but there is nothing like it here in Seattle," he was explaining when Rosalie came back over to us.

"Edward, something is wrong with Bella."

"What do you mean?" My heart started to race. Was she sick? Did she fall?

"Some guy is shouting at her and she's shouting back, but she looks pretty spooked."

"Where?" Rosalie pointed in the direction where the bathrooms were and I took off. I could hear her as I got closer.

_"It's over, Ri. It's been over," _she was practically yelling while trying to stay calm.

I reached the small hallway between the men and ladies rooms and my eyes nearly bugged out of my head when I saw some guy touching her and she was trying to pull away.

Instinctively, I stepped between them and pushed his hand off of her.

"I don't think the lady likes you touching her."

"_The lady_?" he said mockingly. "Who is this douche, Bella? This is none of your business, pal!"

"She is my business. Don't touch her or come anywhere near her again."

He made a move to get past me and Bella pressed herself against the wall as I grabbed the collar of his shirt and hurled him back in the other direction.

"I said, don't touch." I was surprised by my own force and tone. All I knew was he was not going to touch her.

Bella ran off and I turned to call her name, but the ass in front of me started talking.

"I can touch what's mine," he said. "Bella is mine."

I could feel the anger rising in my body at his words and actions, but in all fairness, I didn't _technically_ have a claim to her. However, I knew for a fact that she didn't want him touching her.

"Apparently, she disagrees. Come near her again and we have a problem." The sinister tone and machismo in my own voice startled me and I had to wonder where that came from.

Then Alice appeared, followed by Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie.

"Riley, what the fuck are you doing here?" she spat.

"I came to collect what's mine."

"Collect her? She's not a fucking collector's item," I growled. This Riley character just smirked evilly.

"I think it's time you go."

"You can't make me leave."

"But I can. This is my restaurant and we don't like your kind here," Jasper stepped forward.

Emmett came through and grabbed Riley by the collar, then hauled his ass away towards the back doors. I heard him say some words, but he was too far for me to make them out and then I heard an "Ow, fuck!" before the door slammed. Emmett returned with a smile on his face and proceeded to kiss Rose hard on the mouth.

"Where did Bella go?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I saw her run that way, but I didn't see what direction she turned in," Rosalie stated as she pointed towards the front of the restaurant.

I went off in search of Bella. I checked the bars, the side rooms, the rest rooms at the front. Well, I had a nice hostess check because I couldn't just bust into the ladies' room.

Finally, I found her in the coat room, pacing furiously and mumbling to herself.

"Bella?"

Her eyes snapped to mine and they were alight with the same anger that was coursing through my veins. Faster than I realized, I was in front of her and kissing her hard and deep as I backed her into a wall. We crashed into it with a thud, causing our teeth to bump into each other, but the awkwardness of it was swallowed by Bella's moan of ecstasy.

"Bella, what?"

"Shhh," she cut me off and placed kisses all over my skin, including my exposed neck, solidifying my choice to not wear a tie.

Her kissing only spurred me on and I started to run my hands all over her. Just to touch her and feel her. I could tell something was bugging her, but she wanted this and in truth, so did I. I chose to let go of my mind as much as I could and just feel.

Her small hands had pushed my suit jacket off and were now alternating between clutching at the back of my shirt or finding purchase in my hair. The way she was clawing at me was like she was trying to get as close as possible, but couldn't get close enough.

My hands came across the hem of her dress and she hitched one leg over mine as I gently moved up her thigh. She sighed into my mouth and flinched as I traced her delicate skin.

Suddenly, I stopped. I stopped everything and gazed at her with hooded eyes.

"No panties?" I barely recognized my own voice, laden with lust. Bella just smiled seductively and shook her head. A low growl reverberated in my chest as I crashed my lips to hers once more.

_No panties. No fucking panties._ I had no idea why that was so hot, but every piece of me was on fire with this knowledge and my cock just got impossibly harder in my slacks.

I refused to let my brain wonder why she wasn't wearing any and decided it was all for me. All for me, because my Bella was a naughty girl like that.

I found her, ready, swollen and wet and groaned into her mouth as the wet heat enveloped my hand. She pushed her hips forward, causing the two fingers I was using to go deeper inside her. She was pulsing already and I just knew she'd be done any moment. I rested my free hand at the base of her neck, in her hair and trailed the thumb of my occupied hand across her...uhm...across her clit.

She moaned as her hips bucked. I did it again and again, and finally she cried out softly as I watched her body tremble with her orgasm. So beautiful as her face contorted and then relaxed. There was a split moment of nothingness and then she opened her eyes. The anger was gone, but the passion had only been intensified.

Using the wall as leverage, she hoisted herself up and rested both of her legs around me. Color me impressed at her body strength, which only turned me on more. I helped her get situated by grabbing her thighs and putting them at a more comfortable angle.

She reached between us and started to undo my pants and I let her, only helping when they needed to slide down my hips.

No words were spoken; we just felt. At once, I pushed forward, pulled her closer to me by the creamy thighs wrapped around my waist and kissed her passionately. She moaned loudly as I entered her and wiggled her hips a little as I gave our connection a moment to adjust.

I began thrusting, hard and fast. There was nothing gentle about tonight. Not here; neither of us wanted that. This was what we needed.

It felt so good to just let go and follow my instincts.

"Harder," she cried softly. So I did. I could feel every muscle in my body clinch with the force of my thrusts and it was amazing. Bella's thighs were clamped tightly around me, her hips pushed forward to ensure the deepest penetration possible as we rode the passion wave.

Our kissing stopped as it became harder to do so with the force building between us. I found the skin at her neck and began to kiss it and nibble it. Bella moaned and giggled. I guessed she liked it. So I continued. Every time I would nibble, I would lick my tongue over her skin to soothe the spot. Then I would nibble a little harder. The harder the grasp of my teeth, the louder her cry of pleasure and the more her delicate fingers dug into my skin and hair.

"Mark me," she whispered into my ear. I wasn't sure what she meant at first and then it hit me. I wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure if I wanted to taint this perfectly porcelain skin with my teeth. I looked down and saw the hand mark on her arm that _he_ had left there. I didn't want to be the same person who would do that to her.

"I...Bella..." I started as I ran a finger across the hand print and she cringed a little.

"I'm yours, Edward. Yours to mark, please."

Something exchanged between us then and I suddenly felt very possessive. She was mine. _Mine_. No one else's.

I kissed her deeply, resuming my forceful thrusts and bringing us both back up to the plane of ecstasy. I kissed down her jaw, to her neck, and I could feel her starting to tremble and shake. To be honest, I wasn't going to be able to hold out much more either.

I kissed her beautiful, alabaster skin before grazing it with my teeth and biting down. She cried out in pleasure as I did as she asked. I made my mark on her because she's mine.

I moved back to her face and her eyes were closed, but they snapped open when they realized I was staring at her. I was seconds away from my own release, but I needed to feel and see her first. Our eyes locked; I had one hand resting on the wall beside her head and the other supporting her hip. I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to hers.

"Mine," I growled.

"Oh, fuck. Yes!" Her eyes rolled and her body stiffened for a second before she all but screamed her release and I kissed her to stifle some of the sound.

She was still riding her wave of pleasure as mine overtook me with a force unlike one I had ever felt and it nearly brought me to my knees as I let out an animalistic grunt and poured into her. Her thighs clenched around me, keeping me close as our mouths continued to explore each other.

Foreheads touching, chests heaving as we both started to calm down.

"Come home with me," she whispered.

I nodded. Bella wanted to take me home. Her domain. Her turf. How could I possibly say no?

We didn't even say good bye to anyone, but just got her car from valet and left. The drive was silent and fast. I noted Bella drove almost as fast as I did. I also noticed how she was squirming in her seat a little bit. I wondered if she was still uhm..._on_? Or if it was something else.

Arriving at her place, she tossed her keys to the doorman and we practically ran inside to the elevator. Once inside her place, I wanted to explore. See everything about Bella in her most private setting. She had other plans as she tugged at my pants and pulled me to her bedroom. The same room I saw on the iChat so many weeks ago when I was in Boston. Seeing it now, I saw how much of it screamed Bella.

I was too busy looking around to even notice Bella had gone into a door off the side, which I assumed was a bathroom, and came back into the room. She had slipped her shoes off and was now working at the zipper on her dress.

"Help?" she called over her shoulder and I quickly moved over to help her as she lifted her hair to give me easier access.

She let her hair go and it fell softly against her skin, cascading in a chocolate wave down her back. It was a mesmerizing sight.

Completely naked, she walked over to her bed and pulled back the covers and slid in. I just watched her gentle movements and then got itchy to be close to her. I didn't like being all the way on the other side of the room.

I tossed my suit jacket over a chair and then nervously undid the buttons on my shirt as I toed off my shoes and socks. I swiftly undid my pants and stood there in my boxer-briefs before making my way closer to Bella. Mimicking her actions, I shifted the covers and slid into the bed beside her.

Almost immediately, her lips were on mine and we were kissing passionately again. Slower this time, but not agonizingly, boringly slow. As if anything with Bella could actually be boring.

She rolled over, closer to me and started running her hands down my chest to the waist line of my boxer-briefs.

"No fair, Mr. Cullen. I'm all naked and you still have clothes on," she half pouted. I felt my cock twitch at the sound of "Mr. Cullen." Then she disappeared under the blankets and I felt her tiny hands tugging at the waist line of my underwear.

I shifted my hips to assist her and the next thing I knew, her mouth was on me. Her tongue licked up and down my shaft as she palmed the head and I tossed my head back on the pillow.

"Mmmhm," I thought I heard her mumble around me as she plunged down. I could see her head moving by the bump in the covers and felt it on my skin at the same time. It was so arousing, I couldn't even explain it.

She stopped and started to crawl up my legs, dragging her nipples across my skin and licking me as she moved upward. Her head peaked out from under the covers and she was wearing a seductive smirk, which made me swallow audibly.

"Why, Mr. Cullen, it appears that you have a _big_ problem. Luckily, I have just the right solution for you," she purred as she straddled my lap and positioned me at her entrance and slowly started to sink down.

We both sighed as she reached the end and our hips were now flush.

"I'm going to make sure you never need to call anyone else to fix this for you," she said breathily as she started to swivel her hips against me.

"Make sure I'm the first person you think of when this problem arises again." She started to increase her speed.

She was riding me hard now. My hands were gripping her hips to keep her steady; her hands were running all over her chest, tugging at the pillowy flesh and hardened nipples and she was mumbling things. Incoherent things. Her eyes locked with mine and I couldn't break away. She was breathtaking in her beauty and passion.

"Cancel all your accounts and contracts. I'm all you need." My balls were getting painfully tight and she was starting to shake.

"Forever," I whispered.

She leaned forward and grabbed my chest, before leaning forward a little more as the beginning of her orgasm hit her.

"I love you!" she cried as her lips crashed to mine and the peak of her release crashed over her, causing her body to shake.

I couldn't be sure if it was the weight of her words, the way she felt around me, my inexperience, the two times in less than an hour, but I couldn't hold it and I came hard as I let the warmth of her confession sink in.

She loved me.

I kissed the mark on her neck I made earlier, staring at me now, realizing what she was saying in the coat room earlier. She's mine because she loves me.

"I love you, too," I said as I kissed the shell of her ear.

_God, please don't let me be dreaming._

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**A/N**

We're getting close to the end.

Outfits can be found on my blog (http://www{dot}snshyne{dot}com)

Thanks for reading!

xo

**Fics for Nashville:** I am writing an outtake for Fate & Forgotten Secrets to contribute to the Fics for Nashville effort. For $5 you can have access to this outtake from me plus works from many other authors who have signed up. Please see this link for more information: **http://community(dot)livejournal(dot)com/ficsfornash/474(dot)html** . If you have any questions, you can contact the coordinators via email ficsfornashville(at)gmail(dot)com . **$5 is all it takes. Just do it!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Pssst. Riley was not out of the blue; he was first mentioned in Chapter 3.**

**hugs & kisses to my beta's cclore and PhoenixMP3.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 8: Disclosure**

**Bella Swan POV**

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_Love_

I woke up and felt the strong arms of my love wrapped around me. I could hear his slow steady breathing, so I knew he was still asleep. I was glad for that because I needed a moment.

Seeing Edward last night, then being accosted by Riley, then the aggressive sex and the consuming lovemaking, I was just all over the place.

I had been overly excited to get back to him. I talked the ear off of a woman on the plane next to me, who insisted on showing me pictures of her children. By children, I meant her ten cats dressed in kitty clothes that she knitted herself.

_"Edward is so smart."_

_"Edward makes my heart melt."_

_"Edward is the perfect gentleman."_

_"Edward has the body of a god. Completely out of this world!"_

_"Edward's green eyes sparkle like gems."_

I chuckled to myself as I recalled how the woman got tired of me rambling off Edward's attributes and put her mini album of cats away, then put headphones on to watch the movie that was already half over. When the plane landed, I couldn't get off fast enough. I nearly forgot to thank the man who helped me get my carry-on from the overhead bin, as I practically ran from the plane.

I had to wait several hours before I could see Edward at Alice's party. A car was picking me up at the airport to go straight to the office for a debriefing session from my trip and a late luncheon with one of our established, high maintenance clients.

I knew Riley was in town. Alice had given me fair warning, but I figured I wouldn't need to worry about him. We were long over and done with. I had nothing more to say to him. His irrational jealousy and sense of competition was not something I was interested in. Do you know how fucking frustrating it was to have your _boyfriend_ accuse you of giving head to your stats professor because your grade was better than his?

Like it was my fault that I was smarter and more studious than he was. It was a constant game of anything you can do, I can do better.

He was never supportive. It just took me a little while to realize that. Breaking up with him was painful. I caught him fucking Lauren Mallory, another girl in our class at Northwestern. She clearly got in on sexual favors because the girl was just so dumb. Rocks had more intelligence. To see him with her and know he never really supported me in the way I supported him, hurt like hell.

After graduation, I went away to gain some perspective and came back stronger than ever. It may have hurt, but breaking up with Riley was the best thing I could have done for myself.

I knew that when Edward woke up, we would have to talk about last night. I was determined not to run, even though every one of my brain cells was screaming at me to do so. I also knew that I needed to be honest with him. Just like he has always been honest with me. I just didn't want to talk about it last night. I wanted him to shelter me from the anger oozing out of me. I needed him to calm me and he did. He did what I asked, gave me what I needed without question.

He supported me when I needed him to.

It was hard for me to be vulnerable and out of control like that, but he made the ache better.

I loved him. I knew it weeks ago. It felt so amazing to finally get that off my chest. When he told me he loved me in return, I thought the earth stood still for a few moments as it sunk in.

While looking at him, he sighed and rolled over so I crept out of bed. I went to the kitchen and phoned the front desk, letting them know I was ordering breakfast, asking if they could send someone up to let the delivery guy in to setup. Then I hopped into the shower.

By the time I was done in the shower, the food was all set up. I crept back into my bedroom where Edward was now sprawled out across my pillow. I threw on some panties and one of my Northwestern t-shirts and knelt down on the bed by his side.

I traced my fingers across his back, marveling as the muscles twitched and jumped at my touch. He stirred slightly and I knew he was starting to wake up. With featherlight touches, I wrote Bella loves Edward on his back. Like something I would have done in middle school, complete with a heart in between our names, pierced by a rugged arrow. That's how he made me feel. Giddy like an eighth grader whose head and heart swam with new feelings of love.

"Good morning, beautiful," Edward spoke, his voice thick with sleep. I smiled as my eyes met his, drawing me away from the image I mentally drew on his back.

Fuck! He was so damn sexy. Even sexier still because he had no idea. Not a clue.

It was more than fleeting infatuation though. I knew it with every ounce of who I was that I loved him and only him. I was convinced that we were two souls split apart at some infinite point in time who just came back together. We just fit that way, seamlessly. I'd _dare_ someone to argue with me.

"Hey," I smiled back.

Edward rolled over to his side and eyed me for a moment before pulling me to him and kissing me passionately. I smiled against his lips as I slid closer and he repositioned himself on top of me.

We were kissing hard and fast, laughing and smiling. We were quickly headed towards what could have been awesome morning sex, but Edward's stomach growled very loudly and I laughed hard enough to cause my body to shake underneath his.

"Come; I have food for you," I said, grabbing his hand as I detangled myself from him and pulled him to his feet.

He picked up his boxers from the floor and slid them on before we made our way down the hall.

"Did you cook all this?" he asked in amazement.

"Uh...no. I can't actually cook. Not really." I was suddenly embarrassed by my lacking domestic skills. I knew a little bit about cooking. I could make a steak, Charlie's favorite. I knew how to boil water and toss things into it. But there was no way I could make a gourmet meal, which given what I knew about Edward's upbringing, he might be expecting.

"That's okay. The less time you spend in the kitchen, the more time you can spend with me," he whispered shyly.

It was an odd breakfast as Edward pulled out my chair for me to sit down before taking his. Both of us were in varying states of undress. The sun coming in through the window, dancing off of his muscular chest and bronze hair made him look ten kinds of ethereal and made it very difficult for me to focus on the pancakes on my plate.

We talked idly, but I kept longing to lick his jaw every time he took a bite and I watched the fine structure of it chew, then got distracted by his Adam's apple as he swallowed.

I knew we had to talk before I got carried away and just mounted him without getting the heavy shit taken care of. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.

"About last night," I paused and Edward stopped chewing. His eyes darted around the room before finally settling on mine.

"You don't...you didn't mean it," he sighed.

"What? No! Edward, stop! Listen." I reached out my hand to grab his and tried to keep him calm. "I want to tell you about Riley. Well, I don't want to, but you deserve to know about what happened last night."

He relaxed a little, but only just. I could still see the tension radiating off of him.

"Riley and I met at a summer program before I went to Northwestern. We got close because we were the only two people in the program both going to Northwestern that fall. I was...am...I've always been very driven, Edward. That turned out to be an area of contention with Riley. He couldn't deal with me being smarter, better liked, more savvy."

"He accused me of horrible things. Terrible things that I would never do. If he had bothered to know me, he would have known that."

"Like what?" Edward asked innocently and I sighed.

"Cheating, stealing his project ideas...exchanging sexual favors for my grades." I chanced a look at Edward and he was scowling. A look of anger overshadowed his pretty face. I continued.

"He ended up cheating on me, which is how I finally broke it off. Alice, Jasper, Jacob, my parents, everyone told me he was no good for me. I ignored them because it just made sense at the time. Plus, I was so involved in my goals, I often overlooked his bullshit or channeled the pain and turned it into an 'A'."

"Why was he here?"

"I can't be sure. He's popped up once or twice before, but it's never been like last night."

"He wants you back." I shook my head. "He does, Bella. It's obvious to anyone with a pulse. Not because he loves you, but because he wants to possess you like a thing. You can smell it on him and see it in the way he looks at you. I may not be experienced, but I am a man. It's like an instinct to sense these things."

I shuddered at Edward's words. Riley was belligerent last night. I would hate to think what might have happened if Edward and my friends had not been there.

"Did you love him?"

"No. It just made sense."

"Do you still want him?" Edward whispered, shoulders hunched forward.

"No," I said, lacing my fingers into his. "I told you last night, Edward. I'm yours. I want you."

"Only me?" I nodded. Edward smiled at me before tugging on my hand and pulling me to stand up. He pulled me closer and leaned back in his chair, pulling me onto his lap.

I placed my arms around his neck as I straddled him and laced my fingers into the thick hair at the nape of his neck.

"I don't say things unless I mean them, Edward. I meant it when I said that I love you." My hips started to grind against him of their own volition.

"I've never felt this way about anyone, Bella. Ever. You woke me up."

"Clearly," I stated with a smile, making it a point to press harder into his erection to punctuate my statement, causing Edward to groan softly.

We kissed passionately, and I trailed my hand down his stomach to palm his erection through his boxers. My fingers slipped into the slit in the fabric to touch the soft skin and Edward groaned into my mouth. I continued to fondle him and his kisses grew more frenzied. I put both hands by his hips and gave his shorts a tug. He lifted his hips with me still straddling him. _Fuck he was so strong!_ I braced myself with one hand on his chest while the other pulled at his shorts. He assisted me on the other side and we got them down enough to spring his marble hard cock free.

I continued to stroke him, only stopping so he could lift my t-shirt over my head and toss it across the room somewhere. He reached behind me then, causing me to lean back slightly. I could feel him fumbling around on the table and when he pulled back, sitting upright, I saw the glint of a knife out of the corner of my eye.

I looked at his face and then the knife. His cheeks were flushed, but his gaze was lusty.

"May I?" he asked, the knife poised at the thin strap of my cost-too-much bikini panties.

I nodded in earnest. Fuck the cost! If he got them off, we could more easily get each other off. And fuck! Edward asking to cut my panties was hot.

He flicked his wrist and the band snapped, then he did the same with the right side and pulled them off. I was so busy thinking about the thudding in my chest that I didn't see when Edward's hand dipped in between my thighs, causing me to gasp when his fingers began to trace circles around my clit.

My hips rocked involuntarily and my grip tightened on his cock, causing him to hiss as he slipped two fingers into my slit.

The close confines of our bodies made it nearly impossible for him to move his hand too much, but I could still feel his fingers dancing inside me. Twisting, turning, pumping. It was oh so good. His wrist kept hitting my clit and I knew I was going to come soon if he kept this up.

I felt it building as it swirled in my belly and spread down to my legs. I cried out as my entire body clenched and released as I came all over his hand, hard and fast. I couldn't believe how worked up I was to have come so quickly.

He was kissing my neck and my shoulders, hands playing in the hair trailing down my back. Every single touch he gave me felt so good, I never wanted his hands to leave my body.

I took a moment to come down, but not long as I quivered at the sensitivity of him filling me while I held his cock steady to lower myself onto it. We both groaned and his grip on my back tightened a little, but not in a painful way. Edward would never hurt me.

Sitting like this, heart to heart, almost eye level with him inside me, I'd never felt so close to anyone. More than ever, I felt like we were the same soul, housed in two bodies, now coming together. No, I knew this to be true now. I noticed Edward was looking down at the spot where our bodies had come together. I threaded my hands through his hair, causing him to look up at me. Everything I felt in that moment was mirrored back to me from those glistening green eyes.

I started to rock against him, caught off guard when my clit hit his pelvis. Edward chuckled a little then and I smiled, biting my lip in excitement. He leaned forward and tugged my lip out of my teeth with his own, bringing our mouths together again to taste one another. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my chest against his as I continued to rock in a steady rhythm. He kissed the spot on my upper arm where Riley grabbed me the night before and I felt a shudder run through me at the reverence of his touch.

He must have sensed that I needed more than a simple rocking motion. As fucking great as it felt, I wanted to feel him slam into me. He reached down and got a good grip on my hips. Then he started to lift me gently and pull me back down onto him. My feet were dangling in the air so I had no leverage with which to push, but Edward was strong enough to do it for us. He gradually shifted from gentle to harder and I loved the building of momentum.

I could hear myself panting in the air and feel the racing of his heart beat. I gripped onto his shoulders to allow for easier movement. He latched onto my nipple with his mouth and I cried out at the unexpected pleasure.

I looked down to watch as he slid out of me and back in on Edward's direction of my body. It was a fucking hot sight to see as his shaft was practically sparkling with how wet I was for him. Only him.

My eyes closed and my head fell forward onto his shoulder. I was feeling utterly disconnected from my brain as I just felt so many things in my body and heart.

"Please, Bella. Can you look at me? I want to see how I make you feel in those beautiful brown eyes."

The sound of Edward's voice all lust filled and hungry with a hint of that soft spoken man I loved so much made my heart swell. He was starting to realize how good he made me feel. It made me happy that he wasn't doubting himself, but that what I couldn't say out loud, he could see just by me looking at him. He just knew.

I would always give Edward anything within my power. I opened my eyes and stared into his, sharing this intimate moment between us as he fucked me into a state of delirium. It didn't take but a moment before my second orgasm came over me. I forced myself to keep my eyes open and gaze into his as I screamed his name with fire and passion, everything I was, letting him know that he was my everything.

His grip on my hips became more erratic for a moment as he worked my body over him towards his own state of bliss. He came hard, snarling my name into the air as he crashed his lips to mine hungrily. I could feel his heart beating against my chest as I hoped he could feel mine. I rocked against him a little more, whimpering at the feeling as his body was still coming down from his orgasm.

He wrapped his arms around my ass and stood up, disconnecting us and I wanted to cry. I felt so empty. He walked us down the hall towards my bedroom as we continued to kiss lazily. Tongues drunkenly dancing, teeth half nibbling, mouths languidly roaming. He laid me down on the bed and then crawled in next to me. Breakfast forgotten, we both fell asleep naked and utterly spent.

***~PR~***

By the time Monday came around, you could have flown a million hot air balloons with how light and happy I felt. Edward and I spent two days in bed, getting out only to eat a little bit of food, which usually ended up half eaten because we'd get distracted. I didn't want to be apart from him for any span of time. So even when he left bed to shower, I found myself in that shower with him. Sometimes you have to get dirty before you can get clean.

Then sometimes we'd just sit and talk.

He told me more about his family, making me anxious to meet his parents. I knew of the Cullens from my own research on Edward before I met him and from what he's told me. But it dawned on me that I would be spending the rest of my life with Edward if I had a say in it, and these people - these elite people - would be my in-laws in the future. He laughed at my nervousness and said it was silly because his parents are like normal people. Really just solidifying that Edward's point of view can be askew at times.

I already knew so much about him, but there were interesting facts that gave me more insight into his life. Like suffering from the flu when he was seventeen in a case so horrible, his parents thought he was going to die. Luckily, his father's medical expertise with thorough research and his mother's caretaking helped nurse him back to health. That made me sad, to think I might never have gotten to know this beautiful man. Of course, he wouldn't be Edward if he didn't insist on having his homework brought home every night. He wasn't able to write, but Esme, his mother, would jot down his answers when he was coherent enough.

I told him about growing up with my parents and the history of Black-Swan. Billy and Charlie started it five years before I was born as a way to get smaller businesses more recognition. Having come from smaller backgrounds themselves, they could understand the heart and soul of the local business owner. The death of my parents in a car accident on the way home from a fundraiser left me their shares and Jacob and Billy watched over everything until I finished my education. But when Billy died, I had to assume my role because Jake couldn't do it alone anymore.

I told him how I resented it at first, but now I loved it and couldn't be happier with that piece of my life.

I told him more about Riley. I assured him that he really needn't worry about Riley. He probably just had too much to drink and was acting stupid, but that he lived in England where he worked so it's not like he was around often. He told me more about Angela. I really hoped to meet that skank some day. I'd take great pleasure in showing her what she missed out on.

I told him that I needed to come clean to Jacob about us, but that I wasn't willing to give him up or my career. He kissed me and told me we would work something out. He didn't want to give me up either, but he would not let me sacrifice my career for him.

"It's part of who you are, Bella. I love all of you. Not just certain bits and pieces," he said.

I believed him wholeheartedly.

It really was the perfect weekend, and I was loathe to give it up this morning when Edward said he had to leave and I knew I had to get to work.

When I got in, Heidi told me that Jake wanted to see me immediately. A sense of dread hit me in the pit of my stomach, but I was going to talk to him anyway. Better now than never I guess.

Emily ushered me in without any hesitation and gave me a small smile as she backed out of the office, closing the doors. For some reason, I felt like the kid who got called into the principal's office. Jake and I were equals in Black-Swan, but he was chronologically older than me, with more technical business experience and had always felt like he needed to protect me like an overbearing big brother.

I wasn't going to sit and wait for him to chastise me for whatever the hell it was. So I spoke first.

"Listen, Jake, there is something I wanted to talk to you about." He chanced a glance up at me from whatever he was signing, probably the paperwork for the Makenna contract that I wrapped up in Sacramento. His look was passive, but I couldn't be sure if it wouldn't turn into blind rage at my admission. I'd never been a beat around the bush kind of girl, so I figured now was as good a time as any to just come out with it.

"I'm in love with Edward Cullen. We've been seeing each other for close to two months. I'm sorry for keeping this from you, but I'm not sorry for what has happened. I won't give him up and I won't give up Black-Swan. You're my partner and have every right to know."

I took a deep breath after letting it all out. Other than Alice, I had yet to tell anyone I was even dating Edward. And Jacob was the first person other than Edward who I outright told that I loved him. The annoying cat lady on the plane does not count.

He stopped his pen and put it down, then came around and leaned on the front side of his desk.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," Jake said with a chuckle, "I already knew."

"Excuse me?"

"I knew about you and Cullen. I've known for weeks."

"How did you? When? I mean, how?" I found myself stumbling for words and it was starting to irritate me.

"Well, let's see. I think I had an idea you were crushing on the kid when you refused to acknowledge the genius of his work. I knew you were fucking him because Seth told me you showed up at his place, but hadn't come down by the time his shift was over."

"You didn't say anything?"

"You should have come to me about it. I wasn't going to back you into a corner."

"I'm not just fucking him," I whispered. "I love him. You can't make me stop." My voice resembled that of a stubborn child, but I couldn't help it. The way Jake was looking at me made me feel like I was around five years old and just got caught peeing in my Playskool kitchen appliances.

"I'm not going to ask you to stop, Bella.I just hope you know what you're doing. Otherwise, this could end badly for all of us. And if he hurts you, I'll break his jaw, tear him to pieces and feed him to the wolves."

I nodded, knowing if anyone did any hurting in this relationship, it would be me hurting Edward and that was _not_ going to happen.

"I just don't want to see it. I don't want to see you trying to mount him like you did at Le Gourmand. Keep that shit to yourself. You really aren't very discreet, Bella," he said while laughing to himself as he walked back behind his desk.

I turned to leave, but was stopped by Jake's calling my name. "I'm happy for you, Bells."

I left his office and immediately went to call Edward. I wanted to tell him my good news. I wanted to tell him that it would all be okay and we didn't have to try and work something out. I hung up, remembering he had an important meeting and I wouldn't reach him. I had Heidi call his assistant to see if he was free for lunch, which he was, but a late one.

There was one place where Edward and I had not had sex that I was absolutely dying to. I called Alice because I was going to need some reinforcements.

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**A/N**

**_There is still time to donate at least $5 for Fics for Nashville where I am contributing an F&FS Outtake (http:/community(dot)livejournal(dot)com/ficsfornash/474(dot)html). The Fictionators (http:/www{dot}fictionators{dot}com) are doing a special set of Teasers on Tuesday 6/1 for all participating authors._**

Outfits (the little that they are) can be found on my blog - http:/www{dot}snshyne{dot}com

I am sad to say that we have one more chapter and then the epilogue.

**Thanks for reading!**

**xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**

***waves 'hi' to new readers***

**cclore and PhoenixMP3 beta my stuff and listen to my madness. I love them for it.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Chapter 9: Status Report**

**Edward Cullen POV**

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When I was fifteen, I got my first laptop. I loved that laptop and I wanted to take it everywhere. However, my parents made me leave it at home during the day and I certainly was never allowed to take it to school. I actually tried to sneak it out once; Dad thought it was funny, but mom was not amused. She didn't want me to get picked on for it.

I didn't care. I loved that laptop.

After being up late playing with it the night before, I would wake up extra early to play with it some more, until the very last second when I had to get ready for school. It would sit next to me at the breakfast table as I tinkered away with my left hand and tried to eat cereal, pancakes or eggs with my right. I would leave for school, pouting as I walked away from my new toy. I thought about it all day when I should have been listening to Mr. Banner drone on about the rotation of the earth or Miss Cope bore me with the quadratic equations I could do in my sleep. When I got home, I would run up to my room and see it waiting for me and continue the cycle all over again.

I never wanted to be away from Blue, which is what I named my laptop because it was my favorite thing and blue was my favorite color.

That paled in comparison to how it felt leaving Bella this morning. My entire body ached as I walked through her door to the outside world.

I got to spend all weekend with her. Just me and Bella. Phones off, laptops put away. We spent more time wrapped around each other than anything else, but it felt so right. So natural. I was so comfortable with her and she made me feel like a king.

The way she would look at me, the way our bodies gravitated towards each other. Her small hands ran gentle paths of fire down my back, up my chest and across my scalp. I could feel that her need to always touch me was just as prevalent as mine to touch her.

Nothing existed apart from Bella.

Through words and actions we expressed our love. Something I always assumed just wasn't for me and I had to say that, for the first time in my life, I was wrong. Bella wa_s_ love and she was perfect for me in every way.

We learned more about each other. Bella liked her eggs runny and she preferred to sleep facing me with her head on my chest than in a spooning position. Though, she had no issues being woken up by my hardness pressing into her back. She preferred to shower at night because she liked the feeling of clean skin against clean sheets. She also slept in the nude - much to my satisfaction. She talked in her sleep, like full conversations, and when she was seventeen, she broke her leg when she fell down the stairs and out of a platform window.

I cringed at that story, but Bella thought it was amusing to tell now. I thought it was cute how she could laugh at her adorable clumsiness.

I learned about Riley, what he meant to her. _Nothing_. What he did to her and how she overcame it. I not only loved this woman, I admired her as well. She didn't _need_ me to protect her from him, but I was more than happy to and I'd do it again. I believed her when she said he was pretty sauced because she had never known him to act like that. Bella had no reason to lie to me and she completely dismissed it as bad judgement on his part.

I wasn't worried about Riley, but I would always keep my ear to the ground in case he ever returned again.

I told her the full scope of my relationship with Angela. Bella was loving and attentive, showing me the deepest affection by listening without interruption. We made love after that. She insisted on telling me I wasn't broken. That I gave her the greatest pleasure she ever knew. I stimulated her mind and her body and ignited her heart. That Angela was a fool and she missed out because I was _her_ Edward now and she was never letting me go.

I was so glad, because I was never letting her go either.

I left her apartment reluctantly, knowing I couldn't really stay there forever. I would if I had to, but I didn't want to compromise EC2 for anything or anyone. I also knew Bella wouldn't want me to. So I forced myself to leave her, stop by my place to quickly get dressed, and head on for my day.

I knew she was ready to tell her partner about us, which was great for me because I was ready to scream it from the top of the Seattle Space Needle. I wanted everyone to know. She was a little nervous, but I could see the resolve in her and knew she would be okay. I had met Jacob Black and he seemed fairly reasonable to me, if only a little Neanderthalic, but when love and business are involved, I guess people can surprise you.

I could only hope he would be fair to Bella. If he wasn't, I would not stand for it. I wasn't a violent man, but maybe I'd have Em break his jaw and I'd buy out his shares in Black-Swan, Inc. so she could keep her company and I could keep her.

She wouldn't like that, I knew. She'd hate the idea of me buying him out to save her and I knew she could do it herself if she wanted to, but _I_ needed to protect her. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to keep her safe and happy and I would eliminate anyone or anything that threatened that. I wouldn't keep the shares; I'd give them to her. Like a gift.

I also learned this weekend that Bella wasn't opposed to gifts, but she didn't like to be the center of attention personally. Sure, if she was presenting to a client or running a meeting, she expected all eyes on her. Honestly, how could you look anywhere else? Personally, though, she hated parties thrown in her honor and events given in her name.

I reached my office for my first meeting of the day and shook off any thoughts of avenging Bella for the time being.

"That's some serious bed head, bro," Emmett stated as he clapped me on the shoulder when he met me in the hallway. "Bella keep you locked up?" he snickered.

"You're so crude, Em. Jesus!"

"Pardon me, baby bro, but I recall escorting out the punk, you running after Bella and the two of you being gone a while. Alice went to look for you and came back with a look of wide eyes and a crooked smile saying that she just saw you two get into a cab. Here it is Monday and it's the first I've seen of or heard from your horny ass."

"You think she heard?" I asked, my voice holding a tinge of panic. I was so lost in Bella that night, it didn't occur to me that someone may have heard us.

"I knew it! My brother's a freak! Fucking his girlfriend in a closet." He clapped me on the back in a congratulatory manner and as horrified as I was, I couldn't not smile.

Emmett has always been proud of me. He's always been there for me, protected me, listened to me. He's been my biggest fan. But something about him being excited over what Bella and I did in the coat closet at Burnt Orange brought a renewed sense of brotherhood.

"So. How was it?"

That was where I drew the line. I just shot Emmett a "shut the fuck up" stare and stepped into the conference room, regaining my composure to greet the Romanian Group to discuss their plans to market their new low-cost crystal.

Emmett walked in a step behind me and gave me a wink as he made the rounds to introduce himself._ My brother was an ass_.

Two meetings later, I was about to go stir crazy. I hadn't had the chance to talk to Bella at all and I really wanted to know how it went with Jacob. While on a five minute break between meetings, I tried to call her, but only got her voicemail. I knew how much she hated voicemail in general, so I didn't leave one. I figured that if she had a free moment, she would see my missed call and she would call me back.

I couldn't stop thinking about her though. The rest of my morning was filled with meetings and thoughts of Bella. Luckily, I was pretty damn good at my job or it would have been a disaster. One of our regular clients came in for a meeting and asked if I did something different with my hair or grew taller because I seemed different to her, but in a good way.

I wanted to tell her I was in love, but didn't. Unsure if I should go into details should she ask and she would. If Jacob was going to be difficult, I didn't want to make it harder on Bella by having more people know.

Even if we had to keep it a secret, for now or forever, I wanted her to have something that reminded her of me and of us. If we didn't have to hide, I knew we wouldn't always be in the same space and I wanted her to have something.

It was during the video conference with Apple that I decided I was going to get Bella a gift. Something strong and elegant, timeless and perfect like my Bella.

I had no idea when I'd find the time, but it suddenly became very important to me.

After Apple and a meeting with the Clearwaters, I was free for a bit. Walking to my office from the main conference room, I was deep in thought about my plans for the rest of the afternoon when my assistant, Bree, stopped me to let me know I had a last minute lunch scheduled.

"Fuck!" I spat

"Is that bad? I can cancel if you _really_ want me to."

"No. That's fine, I was just uh...just going to run an important errand."

"Oh, you have at least ninety-minutes. The lunch is here at your office, so just be back around 3:30."

I hurried out of the building and I was half way down the block when it occurred to me that I had no idea who my lunch was with. I checked the calendar on my phone. Sure enough, the lunch was scheduled, but it didn't say with who.

I put it out of my mind and stepped inside my destination. Luckily, I didn't have far to travel. This could take a while.

**~PR~**

Eighty-five minutes later, I hurried back to my office and stepped through the doors just in time for my lunch meeting. Bree smiled at me as she took my suit coat, but I kept my package. I didn't want to let it out of my sight until I gave it to Bella.

"Where's my meeting?" I asked Bree.

"In your office. The meal just arrived." I noticed a small smile on her face, but Bree was a generally happy girl, so I ignored it as I turned towards the doors to my office.

My skin felt prickly as I walked the fifteen feet from her desk to the doors and I guessed it was from the chillier air outside and now being inside, which was slightly warmer.

I still hadn't spoken to Bella, but I was coming to terms with the fact that we were both very busy and there may be times I wouldn't get to speak to her all day. I smiled, thinking that might make the nights more fun. As much as I loved sex with Bella, I loved talking to her even more. So doing both sounded like a great time as far as I was concerned.

I pushed open the doors to see the shades were drawn and the lights were low. On occasion, I had given presentations in my office, so I had dimmer lights and thick shades so as not to hinder the view of the presentation screen.

I stood in the doorway for a second, letting my eyes adjust to the change in light and then I saw her. _Bella_.

Bella was sitting on my desk, legs crossed, feet encased in a seriously sexy pair of shoes. Since she was sitting, I couldn't be sure if she was wearing a skirt or nothing, but whatever it was, it had ridden up high enough to show me the tops of her very delectable thighs.

Without any thought, I moved forward and suddenly found myself standing in front of her. Looking down, I could see she had on a dress shirt that was now open to reveal a midnight blue bra with silver pin stripes. _I loved pin stripes_. The swell of her breasts were just sitting there, shaking slightly when she moved an arm out to grasp my hand and lace her fingers with mine.

"Hi, baby," she purred.

"I missed you, Bella."

"I missed you too. I've been missing you since you left my bed this morning."

She drew a lazy finger up my torso, to the back of my neck where her hands met in a clasp. "Are you hungry?" I nodded. "I brought food," she said. I shook my head.

"It's Indian curry. Your favorite." I shook my head again. "Then tell me what you're hungry for, Edward." She tried to sound irritated, but I could hear the smile in her voice even though I was looking down at where my legs stood in between hers.

"You," I said simply, lifting my eyes to look at her. I hoped that she could see the immense love and desire I had for her. At the sound of her breath hitching in her throat, I thought she did.

I kissed her then. Slowly at first, savoring in the feel of her with me now and the taste of her on my tongue. For a brief moment, I hoped Bree cleared my calendar for the next few hours because I was only going to be meeting with Bella for a bit.

She wrapped her legs around me, pulling me closer and whimpered into my mouth when the hardness in my slacks brushed against her center. Over the weekend, Bella had tried to get me comfortable with saying "pussy", but I just kept blushing like an idiot. I didn't know how Emmett was so comfortable with it, growing up in the proper home we grew up in. I'd never heard Carlisle say it. But I knew Bella liked it, so I would try. For her.

She deepened the kiss as my hands found purchase on her hips. Pushing the sides of her button down blouse back, I saw that she was in fact wearing a skirt. If you could call it that, but this wasn't what Bella was wearing when I left her this morning, so I thought it was safe to say I was the only one who saw her dressed like this.

I trailed my fingers across her flesh and moved my lips to her neck when she broke us apart for air. She hummed and moaned softly in my ear and against my skin with every pass of my hands or my mouth. I loved Bella's sounds.

My thumb trailed across the soaked crotch of her panties and Bella hissed slightly. I felt my mouth water at the prospect of tasting her. I wasn't kidding when I said I was hungry for her. I was beginning to understand that there would _never_ be a point in my life when I was not hungry for her.

"Bella?"

"Mmhm," she hummed as she unbuttoned my shirt and slid her hands inside, up my undershirt and touched my skin.

"I'm going to taste you now."

"Please," she sighed.

I kissed my way down her body, pulling her breasts out of the confines of her bra but leaving it on. I really liked the bra. Her rosy nipples peeked out and practically begged me for attention. I kissed around her right nipple while fondling her left with my fingers. Bella arched her back, pushing her breasts closer to my face as I pulled her right nipple into my mouth and sucked gently.

I repeated my actions on the other side and she moaned in a pleasurable response. Her stomach jumped as my tongue made contact with her skin, my hand forging the way down to Bella's sweet spot.

I pushed my hands up her very tiny skirt, causing it to bunch at her waste. I hooked my thumbs into the straps at her waist and Bella lifted her hips up, using my desk for leverage, allowing me to slide her panties down.

When I saw them, I let out a soft groan. Midnight blue, pinstripe thong, soaking wet.

I kissed the tops of her thighs, pulling her closer to the edge of the desk by her hips. She came forward easily and I nuzzled my face between her thighs as I stroked her legs. Her hips shook forward a little and I new the anticipation was killing her. This was classic Bella.

I pushed her legs further apart at the knees and let a finger walk up her thigh. I looked up at her for a moment, and her eyes were steadily focusing on my fingers as they played with her skin. She was so distracted that I caught her off guard when my tongue reached beyond her folds and found her clit. She gasped and her body tensed for a moment as it registered the sensation.

Tasting Bella was like the sweetest candy being drizzled on my tongue and I was an addict who couldn't get enough. I knew if I just used my tongue, I could prolong the experience just a little longer. I continued to lick, suck, nip at her swollen flesh and she moaned, whimpered, and sighed above me. I lifted her knees and draped them across my shoulders, causing Bella to lean back a bit to balance the angle.

I slipped two fingers into her and she pressed her hips forward, gyrating against my hand as she gripped the hair at the top of my scalp.

My fingers pumped and turned inside her while my mouth sucked on her clit, softly at first and then with little nips like I knew she liked. I could feel the tension in her thighs as her breathing picked up. I looked up in time to see her eyes go wide and her head fall back as she called out my name and she came hard against my face and my hand. Her body shuddered as I drank up everything she offered, my tongue grazing her sensitive skin.

She pulled me up by tugging on my shoulders. She was sitting up now and she immediately crashed her lips to mine with a moan. Her hand was palming my erection through my slacks and I was gritting my teeth at the feeling of it.

She undid my belt and dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor. She flipped the button and rolled the zipper, snaking her hands into my open slacks and finding my hardness cramped in my boxer-briefs.

"You're so ready for me," she said so softly, I almost didn't hear her. I nodded. I was always ready for her.

She shoved my trousers down and my boxer-briefs were soon to follow.

"I'm ready for you too," she cooed. She started to pull me forward in between her legs, but I stopped her. I wanted to do it. I wanted to control entering her.

I knocked some items off my desk, creating room for Bella to lay down flat. I took off my shirt and balled it up to place behind her head as she moved to lay down.

I hopped onto the desk as she scooted backwards, a wicked gleam in her eye. I leaned down in between her open legs, she was glistening and wet and so fucking delicious to look at. Her rosy nipples were still peaking out over her bra and her skirt was still around her waist. At some point, she discarded the button down she was wearing.

I kissed up her stomach until I found her lips and latched on. She was resting on her elbows but shifted her hips upwards, telling me what she wanted. With one hand planted by her elbow, I used the other to line myself up at her entrance and sunk in. We both moaned loudly as I filled her.

I couldn't wait though. _Enough!_ I needed her now. I needed her hot, panting, breathless right along with me. It's only been hours since we were last intimate, but it was too many hours too long.

Using my arms for leverage, I held myself up while I thrust into her, her tiny body shifting underneath me. Squeals of pleasure and excitement escaped Bella's lips. She would kiss me on my lips, along my jaw, just under my chin. I loved the way her lips felt against me.

I pulled a nipple into my mouth as I ground my hips into hers, causing her to gasp and moan.

"So good, baby. So, so good," she cooed against my skin, urging me on.

"Made for me," I whispered.

"Yes!" she cried as an orgasm ripped through her. Her back lifting off the desk as he legs wrapped more tightly around me. "Yes, Edward. Fuck! Yes!"

She laid back flat, reached up and ran her hands through my hair as I worked my way to my own release. I locked eyes with her, watching her come down from her own high, biting her lip, eyes hooded, and gorgeous brown locks fanned out behind her. Her hands moved to her chest and she pinched her nipples, letting out a whimper.

"Oh fuck, Bella!"

"Come, baby. I wanna feel you."

She reached a hand down to her clit and hissed, but I looked down and watched as she rubbed circles around the swollen flesh. Her legs were wrapped around my hips now, holding me closer to her. I leaned down to kiss her, just as her third orgasm cut through her and mine followed quickly.

I called her name and collapsed, trying not to crush her, but she held me close. I could still feel my cock pulsing inside her and her walls contracting around me.

"So fucking sexy," she sighed, kissing her way up my jaw to my lips.

"Huh?" I said against her mouth.

"You, baby. You're so fucking sexy. God, I love you."

"I love you too, Bella."

We laid like that for a while until Bella shivered and I realized she must be cold. I got up and pulled her with me, a post-it note stuck in her hair and it made us laugh.

"Food now?" I asked. My stomach was starting to eat itself now that the rest of me had been sated. For now.

Bella nodded and hopped off my lap, picking up my dress shirt from the desk top and putting it on. _Talk about sexy_.

She moved over to a small table that was pretty low to the floor that I had not seen before, clearly showing my focus had been entirely on Bella when I got here. The table was adorned with silver, orange, and purple silk linens. Light pink candles sat in the center, floating in a crystal bowl filled mid way with water. A few white orchids were scattered around the table as well.

"Where did this table come from?"

"It's Alice's. She has themed dinners at her place sometimes. This is perfect for fun food like Indian or sushi."

I watched as she uncovered some dishes and poured a couple glasses of wine and water, mesmerized by the sight of her thoroughly sexed and in my shirt.

"Come on, Edward. Sit down," she laughed. She must have caught me.

I sat down on one of the colorful, silk cushions, which clearly screamed Alice, and Bella sat down right next to me. So close that our thighs brushed just at the edge of the table.

We ate in silence at first, mainly because I was so hungry that I couldn't think about anything but food or Bella. I figured she wouldn't like it if I passed out on her, so I might as well eat.

"So, I talked to Jake," Bella said, breaking the silence. "He's okay with everything."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Can you believe he said that he actually knew?"

I just shrugged. He couldn't be that dumb; he ran half a company with the smartest girl I knew.

"Anyway, he said he's okay with it, but if you hurt me, he'll tear you apart and burn the pieces."

I swallowed audibly at first, then laughed at the absurdity of the idea. Bella just rolled her eyes and leaned into my side.

Food forgotten, I started kissing her and running my hands through her soft hair. She tasted like curry and her uhm...her _pussy_. My two favorite things. I rolled my eyes at my own internal whisper.

"So you planned this?" I asked, gesturing to the table and the food and her lack of clothing.

"Yeah. I got the idea this morning and called Alice to help. I figured Jake's acceptance was a reason to celebrate and I've been dying to fuck you in here."

I kissed her passionately then, nibbling on her bottom lip and running my hands along her skin under my shirt. I wanted her again. The thought of what she just admitted igniting a flickering flame in my groin.

"Oh, wait! I got you something," I stated, standing up, all of a sudden remembering the gift I spent almost ninety minutes picking out.

"What is it?"

"That's why it's called a gift, Bella," I said, sitting back down next to her.

She eyed the unmistakable blue, but not really, bag and then gave me a questioning look. She slowly lifted the square box out of the bag and set it on the table in front of us.

"You can open it. It won't bite," I told her and she nodded.

Undoing the white ribbon in haste and popping off the top, Bella pulled out the final box and popped the lid. A loud gasp pushed forth through her lips as she stared at the contents for a long time.

"Bella?" I was nervous. Maybe she didn't like it? I hadn't seen her wear that much jewelry, but I wanted to get this for her.

"Oh my god. Edward! This is so...it's just perfect."

"Like you," I whispered, pulling her to me and kissing her neck.

It was a Tiffany Diamond Jazz Tennis Bracelet. Very simple, very elegant, but it made a statement on it's own and you couldn't miss it. Just like my Bella. Plus, diamonds lasted forever.

I slipped it out of the box and clasped it around her dainty wrist. She smiled a big smile and then kissed me passionately.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she asked, breaking the kiss.

"You're just you, Bella, and I'm just me. But together, it's perfect."

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**A/N**

Thanks for reading!

Only the epi is left. :-/

Outfits, same place as usual - http:/www{dot}snshyne{dot}com

_**A Couple Things To Say...**_

I wrote a smutty threesome one-shot called A La Carte. You can find it in my profile.

I have succumbed to peer pressure and signed up for _**The Fandom Gives Back **_auction to take place later this month. The gist of my offering is: two one-shots/outtakes/future shots. They can be from Fate & Forgotten Secrets, Public Relations or something new prompted by the winner. Here is the link to the FGB website (_http:{slash}{slash}www{dot}thefandomgivesback{dot}com_). I will post details on my offering on my blog and it will be up on the FGB site at some point.

I want to thank the wonderful women of **Perv Pack Smut Shack **and special guest reviewer **Coldplaywhore** for their wicked review of Public Relations recently. Go check it out - http:{slash}{slash}www{dot}pervpackssmutshack{dot}com/2010/06/public-relations-by-snshyne{dot}html

I also want to say a special thanks to **jael728** and **SFFR** for the surprise review of Public Relations over the weekend. http:{slash}{slash}www{dot}southernfanfictionreview{dot}com.

**Fic Rec:** For The Summer by Camoozle - http:{slash}{slash}www{dot}fanfiction{dot}net/s/5934882/1/For_the_Summer - this fic makes me smile and makes me frown. It's so cute and reminds me a lot of my childhood summers. Go check it out.

Ridiculously too fucking long author's note done. xo


	10. Epilogue

**A/N**

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to cclore and PhoenixMP3, thank you for everything. This is our first multi-chapter complete together. I hope you know how much this means to me.

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns them. I like to play with them.**

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**Public Relations  
Epilogue: Future Projections**

**Bella Swan POV**

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"Sweetheart, are you ready?" Edward asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I was standing in the bathroom of our room at The Lenox hotel, looking in the mirror while putting on my second earring as his hands snaked around my waist, pulling me into him. I hummed 'yes', resting my head back against his shoulder as he kissed my hair.

My hands dropped from my ear and rested on his. "Are _you_ ready?" I asked, catching his eye in the mirror. His eyes cast down and away from me, breaking our eye contact. "Edward," I stated as I turned in his arms, "you'll be perfect. Don't let your nerves get the best of you." He nodded with a smile and bent down to capture my lips in his as I tilted my head up.

"Thank you," he whispered against my mouth. "I couldn't do this without you."

"You could, but you don't have to."

We kissed again and walked hand in hand as we left the calm of our room and headed down to valet to get into the car Edward booked for the long drive ahead.

It's been a little over a year since I officially met Edward. Without a doubt, the best year of my life. Edward was the answer to all the dreams I never knew I even had.

We were in Boston this weekend - one of the few cities I had actually never been to. Edward had been asked to give the graduation speech at Dartmouth, his Alma Mater. He was adamant about staying in Boston this weekend and not in New Hampshire; hell bent on showing me some of his favorite things while we were on this side of the country. When he received the request mid-winter, he nearly hyperventilated with excitement. Then, he sobered up and tried to think of a million ways to decline the request. He was so nervous and had I been a lesser woman, I would have let him back out. But I wasn't. There was no way in hell I was going to let him pass up this opportunity.

They asked _him_, they wanted _him,_ and he fucking deserved it.

He worked hard for everything he had, never taking his upbringing for granted and always proving himself on his own merit. He was just unsure, overwhelmed, and nervous about speaking in front a huge crowd, afraid he might say something that would mess up one of the impressionable grads. I told him they would all be too busy thinking about their summer internships, fall graduate programs and who was picking up the keg for the party after commencement. He couldn't believe that people didn't actually digest what the speaker said. He was incredulous, insisting on reciting the most memorable parts of all the speeches he's heard. Of course, Edward would be the one person in the crowd who had an ironclad memory of the scripted motivational speeches given at his various graduations.

Eventually, he caved and agreed to do it. I tried to help him see that he had spoken in front of crowds before, selling his and his company's services, time and time again. Standing at the head of the room, in front of suit-clad, cold hearted, unimaginative execs and he was damn good at it. This situation, this graduation, was no different and he would nail it.

That's how we worked. I held him up when he needed it and he did the same for me. Neither of us ever had to ask.

The drive to Dartmouth was nearly a breeze. Edward's lead foot pushing the pedal, the soothing classical music he chose drowning out the sound of the engine while we chatted idly about nothing and everything. Because anything Edward ever said always mattered. Always.

Dartmouth was beautiful. It took my breath away as we drove up to the campus. Classically, elegant New England architecture and design. Regal, but colonial at the same time. Ivy League or not, it just screamed comfort to me. I immediately had images of Edward strolling through the pathways in the fall, his bronze hair matching the changing leaves as he walked forward reading a book in one hand and holding a steaming thermos of green tea, because Edward didn't really like coffee, in the other. Only pausing to push his glasses up his nose.

"Something to smile about, Bella?" he asked, his voice a little shaky with nerves. Nothing to be worried about, this was classic Edward jitters before being in front of people. I would only worry if he was unable to speak, lacking oxygen and turning a weird shade of purple. That only happened once, but he got through it.

"I was just thinking about you roaming the Dartmouth pathways, looking all sexy and intelligent."

Edward's eyes flashed for a minute; a flash I recognized as sexual desire before he composed himself.

"Bella, you can't say things like that to me before something like this. I'm already nervous enough as it is."

"Sorry?" I said with a small laugh, but I really wasn't. I really would have loved to see him in this environment as a student. With me as a student as well, obviously. There never would have been an Angela or a Riley; it would have always been Edward and Bella. Edward chuckled and hopped out of the car. I watched as he shook his head slightly and ran his hands through his hair as he came around to open my door.

Almost as soon as my door was shut, the President's assistant, Jane, came by and whisked us into some kind of lounge area where we waited for things to fall into place. I noticed that Edward managed to appear less nervous, eventually. I think the familiarity of the university eased his nerves a little bit.

"Edward, about five minutes," Jane called from the doorway.

"I'm going to take my seat. See you out there, handsome," I said, kissing his mouth softly and letting go of his hand as I followed Jane out to the audience where I would be seated.

It didn't take long before the Chancellor was introducing Edward.

My heart smiled listening to him go on about how successful Edward was. How he was a shining star among Dartmouth Alumni, a bright gem in a world of lazy and apathetic individuals. Driven, passionate, and genius all stuck out as words I have used to describe him myself. "A perfect example of how to make the most out of the life you have been given," was the last thing he said before Edward took the stage.

I watched as Edward strolled onto the stage, adorned in a black robe that hid his perfectly tailored suit. His shoulders back, jaw strong and eyes focused as he approached the podium to give his speech. I won't lie, I had a temporary thought that I wished I was hidden under that podium and could slip my hands and mouth underneath that robe. Watching Edward was always dangerous for my libido.

"Graduates, families, esteemed colleagues," Edward began, his voice strong and sure, "thank you for the amazing opportunity to be here today. It seems like not long ago I sat in your very seat," he continued, pointing to the graduates, "excited and nervous about the future, feeling fulfilled by the previous four years I spent at Dartmouth."

"This day is about you. It's about who you are, where you have been, and where you will go. Oscar Wilde said, 'be yourself, everyone else is already taken.'"

I listened as he admonished them to remember what they had learned both in the classroom and on the quad. To keep in touch with the people they had met because they would carry those relationships for the rest of their lives. He cracked a joke that meal plans didn't carry over into real life and that they couldn't take the lady who cleaned their dorm bathrooms away with them, and the graduates all laughed.

"If you take away anything I say today, please heed this. It is important to first and foremost, be genuine and honest with yourself. To know your limits and learn to trust your instincts. That sometimes you have to forge your own path. That it's okay to be different, so long as you are truly yourself. Finally, keep your eyes open and be prepared for the most wonderful thing to unexpectedly walk into your life."

He made eye contact with me then and I felt my stomach flutter at his words. I knew that part was meant for me. I could feel it in the burn of his gaze.

"Today marks the first day of the rest of your lives. Go into the world and make your presence known. Congratulations!"

A loud applause rose from the crowd as various people, parents, professors, graduates, and staff gave Edward appreciation for his words and appearance. I have never been more proud of, or hot for him in my life. I was caught in a daze until I felt a single, unexpected tear hit the wrist that was laid in my lap, causing me to jump back to reality.

I met Edward in the lounge area again. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him passionately. I was aware that we were surrounded by people, but I didn't care. He was perfect and he was mine. I was so proud of him and he needed to know. I felt him smile against my lips as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me back.

"I forgot to tell you how beautiful you are," he whispered and then continued to kiss me.

"Well, Edward, that was quite the speech," some voice called from behind me. I felt Edward freeze, and then his hands gripped the back of my dress a little tighter. "All grown up, I see."

_Who the fuck?_

I turned around to see who was talking and eyed her suspiciously as I tried to figure out what her deal was. Average height, long black hair, olive toned skin, too fucking skinny with tortoise shell glasses.

_Shit_.

"Angela," Edward sighed, never letting me go.

"Nice to see you again, Edward. It's been too long." I watched her eyes rake over him, drinking him in. _Bitch_. I took a step forward, not even realizing what I was doing. Edward tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me into his side. I could feel the warmth of his hand through the cool material of my dress. He nodded towards Angela in a polite but curt manner and we turned away, heading in the direction of the President of Dartmouth. I looked over my shoulder and saw Angela sucking on her lip as she toyed with the rim of her martini glass.

"Don't, Bella," Edward cautioned softly. My entire body was tense with the possessive need to claim him in front of her, but I let him lead me away, showing her - in his way - that she was nothing. Don't misunderstand, I had no doubts in how Edward felt about me. I was in no way concerned that seeing her would spark some kind of reminiscent flame in him to try her out again. I just didn't fucking like the girl and I didn't want her anywhere near him. If she hurt him again, there was going to be a problem.

Throughout the night, I saw her, but I was almost always with Edward or within his eye sight and she never got close enough to talk to him. People were hanging all over him, listening to every word he had to say. It was a shining moment for him and it made me so happy to witness it.

The drive back to Boston was long as we were both tired, but not too tired. Hotel sex was seriously one of the best things ever. I was not passing that up at all. I took charge, undressing us both and pushing him down on the bed, straddling him and rocking us both into oblivion until we passed out from complete exhaustion.

The next morning, we woke up bright and early, had breakfast in our room, then left for a day of fun. I, for one, was excited. One thing Edward had been looking forward to was taking a sailboat out onto the Charles River with some of his buddies from undergrad. The few friends he had actually made and kept from school. Not because he wasn't friendly, but he was just more focused and different from a lot of people and that made them keep him at a distance.

It was an unseasonably warm Sunday in Boston and I was truly excited for it. Edward always told me how much he loved to sail, but we had yet to do it; we were just too busy. I knew absolutely nothing about sailing, but I wasn't worried about falling in or anything. I was with Edward.

We walked down the marina, Edward in a crisp pair of green board shorts and a tank, and I had a pair of cut off shorts and a tank covering my new, nautical themed bikini. Hand in hand we walked, listening to the sound of our new boat shoes against the planked ground.

"Edward!" a strong voice called from ahead of us. I looked up, squinting through my sunglasses and saw a huge man waving at us.

"Felix, how's it going?" Edward called as we reached the ramp. Felix, born and raised Bostonian, eternal bachelor of Edward's friends. I believed Edward said his current fling was a girl named Chelsea.

"Awesome, man. It's wicked good to see you. It's been too fuckin' long." Felix grabbed Edward's hand firmly then turned to look at me. "This her?" he asked with a nod toward me. Felix's Boston accent was a bit thick and I found it amusing.

"Yeah. This is my Bella. Bella, this is Felix." He kissed my shoulder and I shook Felix's hand, noting how friendly he looked despite his size. "Everyone else on board?"

"Nah, Demetri is here with Heidi and Garrett is here with Kate, but Ben hasn't showed the fuck up yet. Hey, man, listen. I'm still wicked sorry 'bout that whole, ya know?"

"Forget it." Felix nodded and said he was going to do something sailboat-y, while Edward and I moved further into the boat. He led me down to the cabin below and we put our bags into this area that looked like a crawl space and I stripped down to just my suit.

Of all Edward's friends, I had only met Demetri in person, not his girlfriend Heidi. His investment tracking business took him all over the world, and he had been to Seattle twice within the last year, looking up Edward both times. Garrett lived in Montana with his fiancee Kate. I think they were in the hospitality business, or at least Garrett was. Ben was the only other Boston resident out of the group. According to Edward, Ben was his least favorite, but they were obviously friendly enough as a group for Ben to be coming here today. Emmett was Edward's closest friend and confidant and he actually didn't have many other close friends in Seattle, but that's how guys were. They're like penguins and mate for life or something. Jacob was like that with boys from our childhood. I thought that was funny because that would never happen in a group of women.

"Forget what?" I asked.

"Nothing," Edward stated, pulling me to him and kissing me soundly.

"You think you're smooth. Trying to distract me with your gorgeous mouth."

"Is it working?"

"Mmmm," I hummed. Not forgetting what I asked, but suddenly not giving a damn.

"Hey-ho!" A masculine voice called from atop the stairs that lead to where we were standing.

Edward and I popped back top-side and he nearly collided into me as I stopped short just at the top step.

_She _was standing there. About four feet away was the cunt of a skank Angela.

"Ignore her," Edward stated, kissing my neck. He was trying to play it cool, but I felt the tension in his mouth and heard the tremor in his voice. I thought I had seen the last of her at that reception. Clearly, I was wrong.

I spun around and looked into Edward's eyes; he had removed his sunglasses. "Is that what you told Felix to forget?" He nodded. "Why? Why is she here?"

"She's with Ben. He kind of told Felix last night. Remember that phone call I got last night? I found out then. Just forget it, Bella. Let's have fun."

His smile was weak and half hearted. I hated to see him less than feeling his best. I knew just the sight of her made him feel inadequate and undeserving. Fuck that. The cogs in my brain started to churn. Karma was a bitch that took many forms and today her name was Bella.

Shortly after, once all introductions were made and I resisted the urge to push Angela overboard, the guys were all shouting out sailing terms and having a good time pushing us out onto the river. I watched as Edward pulled and tied a few ropes. His biceps rippling and his shoulders shifting under his tank top. Then he took it off. Yum.

"So, Bella," Kate started as she sat down next to me and handed me a Sam Adams Summer Ale, which I knew happened to be a personal favorite of Edward's. In fact, he's asked for one every place we have been this weekend. "How long have you been with Edward?"

"About a year." I knew we weren't technically together a year, but I counted him as mine since the first day I saw him and I knew Edward felt the same way.

"Really? That's it?" Heidi piped up.

"Yeah. Is that a problem or something?" I was confused by her shocked tone.

"Oh, no. It just seemed like you've known each other longer. The way you, like, gravitate and interact."

I smiled. I felt like Edward was the other half to my whole. What they said made total sense to me, but I had never had a complete stranger bring it up before. This made me feel even more solid in what we had, if that was possible. Angela snickered and we all turned to face her. I glared at her, then plopped my sunglasses back on my face, turning my attention back to the more likable people on this boat. People I wasn't having violent images of burning at the stake.

As the day went on, I tried so, so hard to ignore Angela. I really did. No one could really hold it against me, right? It wasn't my fault she was standing close to me when the boat pitched and my drink spilled in her hair. Nor could I be held responsible for the cooler shutting on her hand after I grabbed a beer for Edward in the cold box next to her. I didn't put her hand there. I watched her hang all over Ben, all the while casting her eyes to Edward and watching him. I could practically see the drool on her chin. To Edward's credit, he ignored her completely. Keeping his distance altogether, never giving her a chance to pounce. I knew she wanted to, even though she dropped him so many years ago. I knew jealousy when I saw it.

I listened as Edward reminisced with his friends and I reveled in his arms around my waist as he attempted to teach me how to steer the boat. I loved listening as he pointed out various points of interest along the Charles River and pointed out when we passed from Boston to Cambridge in the blink of an eye. I never stopped watching her. I was waiting for her to do something, to make it without a doubt justifiable, when I looked over the side of the boat as her ass hit the water.

The sun was low in the sky but not completely gone and we were all having a great time talking and hanging out. I was sure that at least Ben and Chelsea were pretty close to drunk. I was sitting on Edward's lap, his arms on my thighs and his head over my shoulder as Garrett told us a story about his failed attempt to take Kate camping. It was hysterical and I could not do anything but laugh wholeheartedly when he told us about Kate asking where the beds were once he set up the tent. Kate was a good sport and laughed along with us; I liked Kate. I felt Edward harden beneath me and I couldn't resist the urge to shift against him. A low sound reverberated in his chest against my back and I smiled. I looked up and Angela was glaring at me; my smile widened.

"You smell like sunshine," he whispered into my neck, making the tiny hairs stand at attention and my stomach flip.

I shifted against him again, his grip on my thighs flexing and once it softened, I could see the imprint on my flesh. It made me wish I had known Angela was going to be around, I would have been proud to wear one of Edward's love bites today. Well, I was always proud to wear one, but I would have been especially proud to wear one today.

With a huff of breath, Edward shifted me off him and excused himself to the rest room below. I knew he was hard. I also knew there was no way he could pee with what was hanging out in his shorts and I'd be damned if he was about to go play without me.

I sat there for all of a minute, wondering if I should or shouldn't, but knowing well enough that I would anyway. Chelsea, who was sweet but somewhat boring was talking about her job as a kindergarten teacher when I shot up and headed in the same direction as Edward.

I reached the door and knocked, making sure it was him in there as I knew Demetri had also gone below for a minute.

"Just a minute," he called and I knew it was him by the soft strain in his voice.

"Baby, it's me. Open up."

Edward opened the door and looked at me with soft, pleading eyes as I squeezed into the tiny little bathroom. He looked somewhat distressed, probably being uncomfortable in his clothes. He pushed some stray hairs off my forehead and as his hand grazed my skin, the fire for him got hotter.

"I want you. Now," I commanded, pulling him even closer in the confined space by the waist of his shorts.

"I want you. Always," he replied, and I couldn't hold back anymore as I pushed his shorts down and stroked his cock between us. He hissed when I rubbed my thumb over the tip and swirled the wetness that had gathered.

His hands went to my waist and he undid the ties of my bikini bottoms, letting them fall to the floor. I turned around, knowing that in this confined space, this would be the best position possible. Edward leaned back against the small counter space, angling his hips upward and I shifted against him, letting my ass graze his cock, hard and ready for me.

His hands ran down my back, his mouth following and kissing my sun drenched skin. I gasped as one hand slipped between my legs, testing my pussy and dipping into me as the other reached up and pinched my nipple.

"Jesus, Bella. Have you been wet all day?"

"Have you been half naked all day?" I asked in a lustful voice, pointing out that I didn't know how the hell he expected me to stay dry, watching him be all masculine with the sailing and the bare chest. Sun glistening off the sweat beads that formed from the heat. Watching him care free and happy in a hobby he loved, but didn't get to do. Despite Angela's presence, Edward was my main focus.

A low growl resounded in the tiny bathroom as Edward pulled me back by my hips and onto his cock. We both moaned and held still for just a second, a fraction of one really, before he started a fast rhythm of pushing into me and pulling me back to him. My hands gripped onto the slick wall in front of me as I pressed my forehead to the semi-cool surface and reveled in the pleasure of being filled.

I squeaked as my nipples brushed against the cold wall. The cold and friction felt nice.

"Oh god, Edward!" I cried as he was thrusting in a particular way that hit me so deep and in the perfect spot. I knew it would be only a few more minutes before I completely fucking lost it.

The bottom of the boat was air conditioned, but the bathroom was not and I could feel the beads of sweat rolling down my back and chest, my thighs slipping against Edward's. The warmth was probably contributing to my increased delirium, but fuck was it awesome.

It hit me like a flash of lightning; my entire body shook as I cried out and clawed at the wall, which was fruitless since it had no traction. My knees went soft and I was glad the space was so small that even if my legs did give out, I couldn't fall pinned as I was between Edward and the wall.

"Fuck, Bella!"

Edward bit down on my shoulder, my body still shuddering as he finally let go, letting his own release take over. I started to come down from my orgasmic high, noticing my body was involuntarily still rocking against him. I could never get enough of him and if I kept this up, we were never leaving this tiny space.

He turned me around, his mouth hungrily finding mine as his hands ran up and down my back and I ran mine through his hair.

"You are the most perfect thing in my world, Isabella." I smiled and was about to respond when there was a knock on the door that caused us both to jump.

We hurriedly got redressed and Edward checked me over once, as I did him, before we opened the door. Garrett was standing at the door, whining about having to pee and I watched Edward blush and then shrug. We were both laughing as we reached the top side landing when cheers erupted and caught us both by surprise.

"Dude!" Ben called. "Nice."

"You okay there, Bella?" Felix asked, hi-fiving Edward as he walked over to one of the coolers to grab a beer.

Edward sat back down and I resumed my position in his lap, kissing him before I turned back to face the group. Kate, Heidi and Chelsea were all smiling at me. Kate, a little more red than the last time I saw her about twenty minutes prior. I wasn't sure if it was the sun or from the current topic.

"I think it's time to hit land. It looks like Edward and Bella want to continue where they left off," Demetri laughed. "What? We all heard you up here. 'Oh god, Edward.' 'Fuck, Bella,'" he mocked.

I knew it was all in good fun. Just boys being boys and razzing their friend. Edward was laughing by the time Demetri finished; it excited me to see him relaxed and care free with his friends while still maintaining that shyness I found so endearing. All of them stated they didn't know Edward had it in him and decided they were changing his nickname from "Squid" to "Stallion." I looked over to Angela; she was scowling harder than she had been all day. I knew she was thinking about what she missed out on, leaving Edward the way she did. Good! She could take Ben back to wherever he lived and fuck him while thinking of _my_ Edward. She could think all she wanted; he was mine.

For nearly a year I have said that I wanted to rub Edward in Angela's face. Mission accomplished.

**~PR~**

I laid my head on my desk, completely exasperated and done with this day.

"Go away," I whined as my cell phone rang next to me. I was done with today and done with people; I needed sex and sleep and that was all. Begrudgingly, I answered. I knew if I didn't, Alice would just call me again and as many times as necessary until I answered.

"What's wrong, Bella? You sound worn down."

"It's been a touch-and-go kind of day," I sighed. "I had to let Irina Denali and Laurent Arnold go today." I looked at the picture of Edward and I that was taken six months ago laughing in the sun on the boat in Boston and sighed. I would rather be there right now.

"I bet that was tough."

I went on to explain to Alice how Irina and Laurent had been caught in some serious confidentiality breaching and trading inside information to competition. I had known them both a long time and Irina was a good friend of my mother's, but they broke one of our most strict rules and it couldn't be helped. I generally didn't get involved in layoffs and firings, but when it came to top level executives in the firm, I had to. It was my least favorite thing about my job.

Laurent left with a sneaky smirk, but Irina exhausted me. She cried and pulled at our familial ties. She complained that she was tricked into sharing information and played on my mother's memory to try and soften the situation. It was awful. I wished I could have believed her, but how did you explain the months of information being exchanged? We knew there was a leak; we just couldn't find it at first. We never expected it to be Laurent or Irina.

Once, perhaps. This business was all about networking and Jake, myself and the board all agreed that if it had been something like a casual mention over drinks or something non-threatening, it would have been understandable. That was not the case. There were emails and records of file sharing, phone calls and eventually, we lost three clients because of it. Action had to be taken.

I spent my entire day dealing with that shit. Doing the job and filing the correct paperwork. I felt the beginning of a tension headache-turned-migraine and I just wanted Edward, but I wouldn't get him. Not tonight. He had a thing running late tonight and I'd probably be asleep by the time he slipped into my place or maybe I would sleep at his. We spent most nights at one or the other. Today, I felt that maybe being surrounded by his things would soothe me until I could see him. Until I could lay my head on his chest and he'd rub my arm and kiss my hair, then it would turn into passionate touches and heated mouth kisses, sweaty bodies and panting. I could wake up tomorrow and pretend this day never existed. Except now, we had to find a new VP of Client Relations and Director of Media.

"Ugh!" I groaned, digging the heel of my free hand into my left eye.

"Oh, sweetie. Let me buy you a drink. We can talk about it and then maybe Edward will be home by the time you are."

_Home_. Maybe we'd share one soon. We'd idly talked about it a few times, but had yet to officially make the choice. Both owning our own space, it just wasn't easy deciding which one to give up. What to merge and what to keep. Bed switching was working for now. I laughed at myself every time I thought about living with Edward. Not too long ago, that kind of commitment was not something I figured I'd get around to any time soon.

I knew I didn't want anyone else but him, from now until forever and if I was honest with myself, like I always was, I had to admit that the idea of living with him, being his..._wife_, actually made my heart flutter a little bit. Or a lot. Maybe.

I agreed to get a drink with Alice. Girl talk with my best friend wasn't something I would typically pass up anyway. Even if my headache was out of control and I was so exhausted my body sagged.

It was still light out as I walked out of Black-Swan, Inc, got in my car and headed to Sambar to meet Alice. She was such a good friend, distracting me from the stress of my day. She told me about the samples for her new line that just came in and that she and Jasper finally got that jacuzzi tub she wanted in their townhouse.

"Jasper and I are going to try for a baby," she whispered. I couldn't help the un-Bella-like squeal that came out of me as I gaped at her in excitement.

"That's so great, Al. Are you excited?"

"I am. It's time, you know? Jasper's restaurants are doing so well, he hardly needs to be as hands on so much anymore. And Pure Green has taken off in leaps and bounds. Thanks to your Superman and his genius brain," she beamed. "It's just time now."

I was so happy for my friend. Alice was always going to be the one of us to have a million babies. She's a born nurturer and totally had the energy for it.

"What about you?"

"Me? Oh no, Al."

"Come on, Bells. You don't want a gorgeous Baby Edward sitting on your lap?"

"I'm not saying never. I'm saying I'm not ready. We don't even live together!" I realized my voice was a little higher than necessary and apologized to the couple next to us. They didn't seem to notice.

"You're open to it?"

"Of course I am. In a few years, of course. It's so bad to say, but if he asked me to rob a bank, I would. He makes me so stupid, but in the best possible way. I spend so much time not feeling and with him, I feel everything. I love him; I want him forever. I don't know how I'd balance work, marriage, motherhood and you," I said, punching her arm, "but I'm not closed to the idea."

"What would you say if Edward asked you to marry him?"

"What?" I started but was cut off by the piercing sound of my damn cell phone. It was Gianna calling, which meant it had to be important. Gianna was an excellent assistant, very perceptive and attentive. Hardly ever making obvious mistakes. I knew if it was something trivial, like the copy machine needing maintenance, she would not be calling. She was very competent and handled almost everything without direction. Maybe Irina came back and was strapped with a bomb or Laurent was holding her hostage.

It was hard to hear her, but it sounded like I had a late meeting she forgot to tell me about. The way I was storming about this afternoon, I couldn't say I blamed her, but I was still irritated that she forgot. This never happened before, so I couldn't very well punish her in any way. Not really, but I would mention it when I got to the office. Express my disappointment so she knew not to let it happen again.

I finished my drink in a gulp and said goodbye to Alice and headed back to my office. The sun was gone now and I glanced at the clock in my dash and saw it was nearly nine. Shit. I was so not prepared for any meetings. Not with knowledge or mental capacity. I was wiped, but this was the kind of world I worked in and stuff happened. As I pulled into my parking space, I checked my face in the mirror, popped a mint and practiced smiling as I made my way through the lobby, up the elevator and to my floor.

I didn't really know where I was supposed to be going and when I called Gianna back to try and get more details, she didn't answer. I saw that the door to conference room E, the executive conference room on the same floor as my office, was open, so I headed that way.

I peaked my head into the door way and was surprised to see Edward there, standing at the front of the room with the presentation remote in his hand.

Our eyes locked and I couldn't not smile. He was here and he looked so good. He was wearing one of my favorite ties; a favorite because I liked the way it kind of shimmered in the light. Suddenly, the day didn't seem so bad. Maybe I could take him back to my office or we could just go home. I was stuck in my own thoughts and still staring at Edward when he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Miss Swan, if you'll take a seat, I have a projections presentation for you." I quirked a brow at him in question. Was he serious? "Please, Bella," he said softly. I did as he asked and took a seat at the conference table, waiting for the presentation to begin. Maybe this was something for Pure Green and I spaced it? I knew for a fact that was the only account Black-Swan, Inc had going with EC2.

I looked up at him expectantly as the screen came to life in front of us. Suddenly, I was confronted with images of Edward, of me, of us. A soft violin played in the background while the images popped against a vibrant array of bold reds, deep purples, and royal blues.

"My Bella," Edward's voice came over the speakers in the room, "before you, I lived a life of self-deception. Lying to myself that what I had was all I needed. All I could want." I watched the screen as pictures of Edward studying in school to Edward giving presentations or sitting behind his desk floated across the screen. The look on his face content, but not necessarily happy. Not like the Edward I knew now.

"I never would have thought that my work would lead me to you, to anyone. Yet, the day I pitched a campaign for Pure Green was the first day of the rest of my life."

"You were confident, strong, opinionated, stubborn, beautiful, imaginative, and kind," his voice continued. I saw pictures of me with Alice, pouring over Pure Green plans. I watched as my board room face faded in and out of the presentation and newspaper clippings of the charity work I did were plastered on the large screen.

"You took me by storm and I have never looked back. You are my soul mate in every sense of the word." I saw pictures of us at parties, a candid one of us lounging in my living room that I knew Alice had taken. It had me resting against Edward with my laptop in my lap while he was reading some documents. I remembered that after she left from dropping off the pastries she picked up, my body replaced the documents in Edward's hands. Countless pictures of us were on display and I couldn't ignore the happiness on either one of our faces. A happiness that was not present in the solo pictures.

I was so caught up in the presentation and the soothing sound of Edward's voice, that I didn't realize he had approached me until he was turning my chair and I saw him down on one knee with a red velvet box in his hand.

"This is where we began, Bella. This room is where we met and you captured my attention. All my life, I've strived for perfection, but all of that holds a dull candle to the single most perfect thing in the world. You. I love you, Bella. I want to love you forever. Will you marry me? Please?"

The soft please at the end of his request was enough to send the pile of tears, building behind my eyes, tumbling over the edge. I was not a crier. It was not something I generally had much of a capacity for, but Edward could always touch me in ways no one ever had. How could I say no? Why would I say no? Even if he'd sent me a text message, I would have said yes. But god, this was so perfect. In this room, in this way. This was so Edward, so us. So perfect.

I looked down at the shining diamond ring, which I honestly could not tell you the cut or anything because I was just not one of those girls who gave a damn about that, until about five minutes ago. I could tell you that it was beyond perfect and twinkling, making me want to put it on as quickly as possible and never take it off. Like jotting my signature on a contract to seal the deal. Except, I wasn't getting money out of this, it was so much more. Much, much more.

"Yes," I whispered, "Yes, Edward. Yes! I want to love you forever." I answered him with all the courage I could muster as my heart still clenched from the billowing reality of this moment.

He slipped the gorgeous ring on my finger and then he stood up and pulled me with him, a huge smile across his beautiful face as he picked me up and spun me around.

"I never thought I'd have this, but I am so happy right now." He kissed me hard on the mouth as I wrapped my legs around his waist, keeping us together.

The kiss deepened and I found myself bucking against him, the crotch of my panties hitting his belt buckle and I whimpered.

"Have you ever been fucked on a desk before, Bella?"

I nodded my head.

"Want to do it again?" he asked and I nodded again. A devilish smile appeared on his face as he turned us around and carried me out of the conference room and headed toward my office. Back to the scene of our first time, certainly not our last.

* * *

A/N

Bella got a Cartier Ballerine Solitaire. It will be on my blog with the outfits.

Rae Cullen is sweet and awesome and she interviewed me about Public Relations for SYTCW. Go check it out - link is in my profile.

Fandom Gives Back is in full swing. Please participate, it's for a great cause!

*sniffle* It's done. PR is over. It's been a great ride and thank you all for reading along. You've been awesome.

*MWAH*

**THE END**


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